The title of The Vaude-villainous Mr Gørski gives a good idea of what to expect from this family-oriented show. There are tricks reminiscent of vaudeville, performed by a man with somewhat villainous leanings.
Mr Gørski (Daniel Gorski from ABC TVs Hoopla Doopla) looks the part with his dark curly moustache and red striped suit. His act has some good features – who doesn’t love a gadget? – and there are signs to encourage the audience to applaud, boo or hiss at various times. (And who hasn’t wanted to do all of these during a typical fringe?!) This is a clever way of establishing his character, as well as providing a distraction should some tricks not quite come off at first.
Mr Gørski’s main credentials in villainy were shown early, when he made two quite young children cry. If he is going to be so unsettling for the young ones, it would help to immediately go into something silly to get them back onside and make himself more of a cartoon villain than a scary stranger.
The vaudeville-style tricks such as hat juggling were done well, and the music selections set the mood effectively throughout. Some acts were a bit slow to get started, although Mr Gørski redeemed himself with a big, energetic finish to some pieces.
However, the ending of a melancholy performer on stage seems quite out of place in this type of show. It is doubtful that the children present would have understood the tale’s conclusion being told through the lyrics of recorded music. With a bit more thought about his audience, I expect that The Vaude-villainous Mr Gørski will get a better reward from its mischievous nature.
Melbourne Fringe: The Vaude-villainous Mr Gørski: The Villain of Vaudeville
The Clover Club – Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham Street Albert Park
Performance: Saturday 3 October 2015 – 3.00pm
Season concluded
For more information, visit: mrdanielgorski.wix.com/danielgorski for details.
Image: The Vaude-villainous Mr Gørski – photo by Caveboy Studios
Review: Jason Whyte