Weather Tonight: 8°c Light showers Morning: 13°c Light showers

Critics' Choice

Film

Andrew O'Hagan

quoteAn awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurancequote

Andrew O'Hagan 2012 Theatre

Fiona Mountford

quoteThe show has suddenly become quite wonderful, and the galvanising factor is the terrific stage debut of Melanie Cquote

Fiona Mountford Blood Brothers Music

John Aizlewood

quoteThe British pop music industry may be eating itself but if Muse are the pick of what it can offer the world in 2010 then British music is in rude health indeedquote

John Aizlewood Muse

Reader reviews

Theatre

Rachel Dalziel

quoteI was smitten by both Gilberts enormous luxuriant moustache and the intelligence and nuance of this highly entertaining playquote

Gilbert Is Dead Restaurants

Raja, London

quoteI totally recommend Babbo to anyone who is looking for really good and traditional Italian foodquote

Babbo Music

Katy, London

quoteAlways been a fan but never seen them live. I was ecstatic to be part of this epic event. WOW!quote

Muse

Theatre & comedy reviews London,

The Von Frisch Cabinet Of Peculiarities

Your rating
one startwo starthree starfour starfive star
Click on a star to rate
Queen Elizabeth Hall

Evening Standard rating Bruce Dessau's rating
Evening Standard rating Reader rating
 Add your review



 
  • Book Online

The Von Frisch Cabinet of Peculiarities failed to create a buzz

By Bruce Dessau, None  07.09.09
 
Von Frisch host Robin Ince

High-brow flair: Von Frisch host Robin Ince

Do comedy and entomology mix? Saturday night’s show, part of the South Bank’s weekend celebrating all things insect-related, suggested that they are decidedly itchy bedfellows. If ever there was an evening for which the phrase “curate’s egg” was appropriate it was The Von Frisch Cabinet of Peculiarities.

Though “curate’s larva” would be more apt. Robin Ince hosted with his usual high-brow flair but the mix of performers never gelled. Norman Lovett rambled on about pulling legs off a daddy long legs and replacing them with wheels, Toby Hadoke delivered a geeky lecture on bugs in Dr Who, Harry Hill provided a filmette about bees set to the music of Jane Birkin. But Charles Darwin’s great-great granddaughter Ruth Padel read some barely relevant poetry and Jo Neary’s balletic clowning had little thematic connection.

Things picked up when musician Martin White and orchestra offered excerpts from his flea-based musical, climaxing with the declaration of “one nation on a dog” before Waen Shepherd closed things with his rock-opera Dawn of the Maggots.

Von Frisch was apparently the zoologist who discovered that bees dance. It would have taken a whole hive doing Flamenco to get this buzzing.

Related articles


Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.

 

Reader reviews (1)

 Add your review

I thought the comic with the fly's head was the funniest thing.

- Bernard, manchester uk


Add your comment

 

Your email address will not be published

Terms and conditions make text area bigger You have  characters left.


 
 


 
 
London's Weather
Tonight
Light showers
8°c
Morning
Light showers
13°c
5 day forecast
 
 

Daily Mail Mail on Sunday Travel Mail This is Money Metro

Loot | Jobsite | Homes & property | London jobs | FindaProperty.com | Primelocation.com | Educate London | Holiday Villas