Vanishing Act presented by Rosie Clynes & Candace Miles. Image via Melbourne Fringe Festival.
We all fear fading into oblivion without having left a mark on the world, but disappearing into the anonymous background noise of life can seem worse. Answering the question, ‘Do I matter?’ has been a seminal existential questions tackled by philosophers, artists and comedians alike. To answer it well is to make a claim that you do. To answer it poorly, just the opposite. Candy and Rosie respond with their unique mix of song, dance and banter but it leaves you with more questions than it answers.
There is no doubting the vocal abilities of the performers or the ability to hold the stage. They’re a vivacious pair who journey together through the sunshine and rain, light and dark from centre stage to the fringes of the world they create. Candy and Rosie have a lovely chemistry and along with music from Zac they make an ensemble who are clearly at ease with each other and their craft. The energy or ability of the performers was not the issue though because while Vanishing Act built momentum it never really soared.
The story needed to be more than filler between songs and lacked a narrative arch that was needed to provide substance because the songs, while entertaining, did not link together or tell a story in their own right either. A few original numbers would have done no end of good to put their stamp on the show and sustain the humour, which had its moments but, like the show as a whole, didn’t find top gear.
Rosie’s dalliance with opera was lovely as was Candy’s with Edith Piaf and they were at their best when engaged with what most honestly embodied themselves. In those passions lay an unexplored story that could have been taken much further because in the end it’s difficult to say what Vanishing Act is really about. Its intention to make light of our obsession with success by fighting the feeling of vanishing into the background is an interesting one. But they didn’t manage to get to the heart of it. They skirted the edges and sang well but weren’t able to say anything new.
Vanishing Act is fun. It will make you laugh and maybe empathise with the story, but its overall lack of cohesion robbed it of the peaks it needed to be something special. In amongst Madonna and other covers there were flashes of originality and personality that shone through. More of them would have given Vanishing Act the lift it needed and kept it in the minds of the audience long after the lights went down.
Rating: 3 out 5 Stars
Vanishing Act
The Butterfly Club
Melbourne Fringe Festival
28 September – 2 October 2016
