iOTA – Slap and Tickle
Even though Slap the clown declares in his first musical number “I may be gay, but I’m not THAT cabaret”, in iOTA – Slap and Tickle, that’s exactly what he is.
What follows are 60 minutes of humour with just a touch of heartbreak. Set in a world of glitter curtains, a makeup table and a wonderful ten-piece band, Slap the Clown and Tickle the Gimp reveal their somewhat abusive relationship and a collection of outrageous characters created by Slap.
The premise of the show seems to be that Slap commands the stage while Tickle, his bondage menial, changes settings, props and helps Slap change costumes. As the evening progresses Tickle is pushed out of the spotlight and eventually leaves Slap heartbroken.
This seems like a serious evening, but it is far from it. The 60 minutes are packed with some memorable characters created by Slap.
We meet Sirena of the Sea, complete with a shell headdress and a net, with rope train decorated with shells. She is Lady Gaga on steroids and a voice that sails to the heights and back, rendering Slap almost unrecognisable.
Close on her heels is Wayno the Braino, the Paul Hogan of Mind Readers who reads members of the audience’s minds with explosive results. As feminine as Sirena is, Wayno is macho to the point of being ocker, a perfect contrast.
Looking like a blond Supreme in high heels, a feather boa and a curly wig that goes on forever, we are treated to every aspiring musical theatre performer’s persona singing “When I Get a Solo in a Musical”. Once again, Slap shows us another completely different transformation, visually and vocally.
After an ominous introduction, Wolfman, who is in the process of transformation, appears. In a hat and overcoat he gives us yet another facet of Slap’s amazing voice; deep, raspy and sinister. We are left wondering what to expect next.
Hugo the Snake Charmer is worlds away from Wolfman. Half man- half puppet, iOTA’s performance is memorable.
One would think that Slap and Tickle is all about Slap, but Tickle aka Russell Leonard is no shrinking violet, doing the splits, tumbling, twerking, doing the ‘floss’ and the most expressive modern dance I have seen. He is the Yin to Slap’s Yang.
As good as the show is (and it was), I was disappointed in the uneven mike standard which resulted in some of the lyrics being hard to hear. I also found some of the links between songs and sequences confusing, e.g. the song on the lily pad.
However, that being said iOTA – Slap and Tickle is an energy-packed hour of entertainment from two extraordinary cabaret performers.
Barry Hill
Photographer: Darren Hall
Subscribe to our E-Newsletter, buy our latest print edition or find a Performing Arts book at Book Nook.