Markus Birdman @ Laughing Horse, Bar 50
Markus Birdman brings us a retelling of the creepy fairytale Rumpelstiltskin via stand-up and animation
The Brothers Grimm's Rumpelstiltskin, the Faustian tale of greed and ambition, is used by Markus Birdman in reference to both himself and his 12-year-old daughter. He asks, are we too aspirational, or not aspirational enough? Should we follow our dreams at any cost, or should we teach our children and ourselves when to give up on those dreams?
Birdman’s own ambitions and experiences as a comedian take up a sizeable chunk of the show, and detract from interesting sections around his relationship with his child and with the story he’s trying to tell. Similarly, the animated sections dotted through the hour take the wind from his sails a little. When he gets going, though, Birdman is a confident and clever performer, setting up his own rules and breaking them with great control. The animated scenes projected behind him need this same gift of comic timing, though they remain humourous, monstrous and have their own distinctive, nightmarish style.