At the fringe, despite the predominantly bare stages, some performers transport you to another landscape almost immediately. In cult clown duo Xhloe and Natasha’s new two-hander, we are swiftly in the US of President Lyndon B Johnson, Beatlemania and Tom Sawyer-style outdoor adventuring.
The pair portray muddy-kneed boy scouts who, against a backdrop of chirping insects and with the sole prop of a tyre, start off recounting their hijinks. Boasts, dares, codes and allegiances are the currency of these conversations as Ace (Natasha Roland) and Grasshopper (Xhloe Rice) play soldiers, go rope-swinging and anticipate the prospect of LBJ passing through their small town. The scenes of one-upmanship and wilful displays of rugged masculinity recall the pair’s earlier fringe hit, And Then the Rodeo Burned Down, but this time there is a stronger arc for the characters and an emotional impact that sneaks up on you.
