Review – Swamp Juice

Swamp Juice is the story of a nasty little man with an evil cackle who enjoys tormenting the snails, snakes and birdies of the swamp he boats on. Until today, that is, when his world suddenly gets turned inside out. He eventually learns his lesson that it’s not nice to pick on creatures that are littler than you, and then all of the swamp dwellers live peacefully ever after. Well, sort of.

ln this interesting take on shadow puppetry the characters are brought to life on the stage, rather than behind the screen, by the skilled hands of Canadian puppeteer Jeff Achtem. The score is performed live by a 3-piece band, complete with melodica. The puppets are made of random bits of garbage and found items. As the puppeteer himself declares, he operates on a tiny budget.

This show is clearly a labour of love for Achtem, and you have to feel for a guy whose passion is in an arguably dying art. Swamp Juice was let down by an overly slow start, with the puppeteer introducing his equipment and setting the scene a little too laboriously. But just when you’re thinking that it isn’t going anywhere, the music lifts and the action picks up. The puppetry keeps getting more engrossing up to the finale, which uses deceptively simple 3D technology to garner plenty of appreciative shrieks from the audience.

With a bit of tightening up of the start, this show could be really great. It’s certainly different to anything else you’ll see at the Fringe – perhaps ever. Swamp Juice would be an excellent pick for kids (unaccompanied adults were loving it too), and, if you’re taking them, sit in the front two rows.