Extravagenza

If you are familiar with the work of Le Navet Bete, you walk into the theatre armed with anticipation, nerves of steel and a humour dial turned up to 11. If you are unfamiliar with their work and it is the first time, then you are the lucky ones.

Extravaganza begins with the vaguely Germanic Hans talking through his plan for a night of, ‘song, a little dance and some information’. The hotly anticipated information is in regards to his far flung Country of origin and their many and varied industries: a theatrical and geographical infomercial. All goes according to plan until Romano, Keith and David get involved and the whole evening falls apart.

For an hour (and by the end of it you will crave another hour) you are exposed to the chaotic, bizarre and wildly slapstick minds of a company on top form and leagues ahead of anyone else doing this work.

This is the work of highly skilled clowns. A show that is crafted to within an inch of its life that you feel like the chaos could come crumbling down at any second. Those lucky enough to catch any of Le Navet Bete‘s work, especially Extravaganza, should make no mistake; this is hours and hours of finely tuned skill brought to the stage by highly adept performers. Never self-indulgent and never talking down to their audience, Extravaganza is bursting with acrobatics, slapstick, music, dance and unadulterated joy. Often completely outrageous, but always on the money. Simply beautiful.