one4review | On 13, Aug 2024

How wonderful when the pitch of a show is completely encapsulated by its title. Following on from last year’s War of the Worlds (On a Budget) Lamphouse Theatre return with another show that’s high on the laughs and low on the spending, retelling Mary Shelly’s classic tale of a man and his monster.

If you’re anything like me, you know that when you come into a one-man Fringe show and see a large collection of cardboard props littering the stage you’re in for a good time. Tom Fox, the one man in question sings, acts and pantomimes his way through the famous gothic masterpiece with a delightful wit and whimsy, ably supported by his producer and narrator Becky Owen-Fisher (so not entirely one-man, then). The songs, while comic, are surprisingly high-effort, demonstrating Fox’s impressive range and skill, especially as he often has to change character half-way through.

It’s worth noting that, despite the title of the show, it’s only low budget in comparison to a “proper” production. By Fringe standards, it’s positively crammed with production value, albeit mostly in the form of cardboard and plastic. At no point does anything feel cheap, though, there’s a pleasing roughness around some of the edges, in the jokes as well as the props which makes the whole thing feel like a labour of love more than a polished attempt at creating the next big thing.

Like Frankenstein’s monster itself, the show is big and broad with a few stitches showing but very much alive.

***
Reviewed by Tom
Pleasance Dome-Jack Dome
11.50 (1hr)
Until 26th August