LetLuce in Sea Men (A Naval Tale)

• Suzanne Black
• 20 August 2015

This article is from 2015.

A watertight double act keep things bobbing along

After playing both the front and back of a pantomime horse in 2014’s Show Pony, LetLuce’s 2015 offering is an aquatic-themed panto-esque romp. The framework follows Captain (Letty Butler) and Fish (Lucy Pearman) as they embark on a quest that will take them through funny accents, oddball references, improbable costumes and an impromptu rave. Also in attendance are several other character duos, including a call-back to the circus from last year’s show, a couple who may have escaped from The League of Gentlemen and two Caribbean crabs.

Throughout, the dynamic between them is watertight. Pearman perfectly inhabits her role of the innocent clown, committed to the moment and unaware of Butler’s increasing exasperation towards her as both character and partner. Comparisons with the Mighty Boosh’s stage shows are rife but also apt and all the requisites of the genre are in place: the idiot / cynic dynamic; the absurdity; the whimsy; catchy ditties; scripted ‘ad-libs’.

LetLuce do a credible job of keeping the silliness flag sailing but a through narrative that doesn’t go anywhere and a sense of the lacklustre about some of the ‘wackiness’ are sprung leaks. Their prodigious chemistry is the only thing keeping it afloat.

Just the Tonic at The Caves, 226 0000, until 29 Aug, 4pm, free.