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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Holly O'Mahony

Hole! review – filthy musical fable enchants … and makes you blush

Jake Brasch and Nadja Leonhard-Hooper in blue robes with elaborate hair, one playing keyboard, one pointing
Plugged in … Jake Brasch and Nadja Leonhard-Hooper in Hole! Photograph: Tristram Kenton/The Guardian

A filthy fable about a god-fearing Christian sect in rural Nebraska who, in a racy, sci-fi twist, are forced to wear butt plugs to avoid being sucked up into the ether, could be utterly naff. But the sheer artistry behind this hard-working two-hander ensures every second is surprisingly enchanting – even when it makes you blush.

It’s written and acted by Jake Brasch and Nadja Leonhard-Hooper, who perform together as New York-based outfit American Sing Song. They are not only vivid storytellers but fine musicians and foley artists – creating their own sound effects on the fly. Over the course of this 80-minute show, every pop, suck and ominous whoosh (as a plug is fatefully removed) is heard, and every innuendo lands, sometimes in harmony.

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