ER at the Fringe: The Blue Lady Sings

Every now and then a show comes along that exposes the essence of its medium by stripping it down to its bare fundamentals. With bold minimalism and a solid, simple concept, Tricity Vogue’s The Blue Lady Sings does for cabaret what Waiting for Godot did for drama. You’re unlikely to see another Fringe production this year as pristinely self-contained and well-rounded as the London diva’s newest character.

Confined behind a picture frame, Vogue comes to life as Vladimir Tretchikoff’s 1950 hit painting Chinese Girl, minutely characterized in cerulean make-up and a gilded kimono. The premise of the show is surreally simple: a painting wants to escape its frame, but is kept in check by two stern museum ladies who frustrate her attempts to move.

What follows is brilliant pantomime: the otherwise mute Blue Lady has nothing but her song repertoire to concatenate her broken-hearted story. “I wasn’t always this blue/I was once the same colour as you,” sings the portrait, alternating jazz, rock and pop standards with Vogue’s own crooner-esque original compositions. It wouldn’t be proper cabaret without a ukulele somewhere, and the Lady does not disappoint, wielding the quaint instrument in a series of tongue-in-cheek numbers that include, for instance, an attempt to bribe a stubborn playback recording into a more collaborative mood with a comically wimpy rendition of Queen’s Radio Ga Ga. By the time the Blue Lady triumphs over the museum ladies, the stage is set for a string of gags including beaus forced onstage at gunpoint, reincarnated Hindu deities and more songs with “blue” in their lyrics than a Roy Orbison greatest hits compilation.

This rather literal rendition of the blues yields a very cheeky and ironic brand of humour that turns shameless self-reference into an irresistible live cartoon. Strategic bouts of audience interaction (with plenty of sing-along moments) render this nearly abstract concept as accessible and enjoyable as a night out at the local pub. Whether you label it self-parodic performance art, neo-cabaret or non-verbal comedy, The Blue Lady Sings delivers that rare treat of thought-provoking, instantly relatable entertainment that draws its sophistication from its simplicity. Make good use of its inclusion in the Free Fringe festival, because it is even better on a second watch.

The Blue Lady Sings. Conceived and performed by Tricity Vogue. Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, Edinburgh. 5-8, 10-15, 18-19, 21-22, 25-30 August, 20:45. Free. www.tricityvogue.com