When I arrived at the Pleasance Dome to see Le Foulard (The Veil) I was expecting a contemporary dance piece. That was only a small part of the show – there was also a large dose of comedy. I should have read the blurb more carefully. An art Show. Made with love. By an idiot is the strap line. Le Foulard has much more comedy than your average dance show.
It is a one woman show starring Lucy Hopkins. She has studied fine art, corporeal mime and theatre, worked as a clown and in improv around the world. Le Foulard is the second show that she has created and produced, combining all her talents into a unique act. Spoofing the artspeak of the art world her character, or one of them, for there are a few, has set up an organisation called Arts Soul. At the moment she is the only member. Playing with the pretentiousness of some sections of the art community, she appears to be enjoying herself hugely as she pokes fun at the absurdities of the art world.
There is much elegant movement as Hopkins turns from one character to another, using only a veil wrapped around her body in different ways to physically differentiate between them. Each has different accents or characteristics. Performed as comedy, these are characters rarely seen on stage and make for an entertaining and unique show.
Hopkins manipulates her body to tell her tales, showing the perfect muscle control that only comes from hours of practise. Her characters have a veneer of joy, but there is a sense of longing and distress under the light-hearted banter. Many critics have been blown away by this act. I can recommend it as something completely different that questions the idea of what stand-up comedy is and how it can be delivered.
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