Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Two simpleton gypsy brothers, the smarmy, medallioned small-time gangster Maximo (Paul Hunter) and the puppy-eyed innocent Fredo (Javier Marzan) are starving. To keep themselves in pizza they capture the feral prostitute, Lovely (Hayley Carmichael, above), chain her up and tout their caravan as "The House of Pleasure". All goes well until the last five minutes when Lovely and Fredo fall for each other and Maximo has a stroke. Buffoonery vies with brutality to render Told By An Idiot Theatre Company's cynically nutty fable by turns hilarious, horrific, poignant and pointless. The result inhabits a curious comic hinterland between reduced-calorie Dario Fo and Benny Hill. Unfortunately an overlong, if deliciously daft, exposition leaves little time for plot, comedy or character to develop beyond the trivial, and an incoherent descent into uncomfortable pseudo-profundity ensues.
Luckily, I'm So Big is saved by Marzan and Carmichael's superlative clowning. Agile and putty-faced, Marzan has the audience in stitches with one appealing blink. Carmichael plays his foil with an altogether bleaker brand of humour. Very like her fellow diminutive Complicite-graduate Kathryn Hunter, she beguiles us with a husky-voiced, tongue-in-cheek tragedy which lends some substance to this featherweight frippery. Worth a look just for these two.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments