Cabaret double acts seem a recurring trend on the modern arts scene. We’ve had the pop-parody pair Frisky & Mannish; we’ve seen the decadent duo Bourgeois & Maurice, and that’s only two… Now, straight out of the graveyard, come Mr. and Mrs. Clark – with their unique blend of comedy, song, contemporary dance and, er, shelving units – to revive our world-weary souls and lead us down their own shortcut on the road to eternal happiness.
Allow me to introduce you to Mr. Clark, the magnetic, panda-eyed troubadour, armed with a guitar and a thick, raspy voice. Snarling out his Nick Cave-esque opening ballad, he is joined by the irresistible Mrs. Clark, a crazed yet highly accomplished dancer and assistant to Mr. Clark. Imagine a possessed Debbie McGee. Together, they scrutinise the audience for any spiritual diseases they can sense in the air. Ailments ranging from lovesickness to snakebite are (apparently) cured before your very eyes via bizarre voodoo techniques. Having marriage problems? Try acrobatics. Unsure of your partner’s compatibility? Assemble some flat-pack furniture. All these cures are put to the test in this charmingly offbeat horrorshow.
Expect to get involved too. There’s no escape. Audience members are handed raffle tickets before the show to ensure fate has its say. Even sitting in the middle of a row won’t make you safe. If they sense something in you, you’re up. But don’t worry, alcohol is given to all participants, however terrified they are. What should be said is that Mr. and Mrs. Clark mean well when they force you into their clutches. Their objective is not to ridicule you (I hope), but to rid you of your anxieties, to eliminate your inhibitions. An exercise encouraging the entire audience to wave and ‘brush’each other creates a heart-warming sense of community, made up of people who have never met. Mr. and Mrs. Clark put us back in touch with the freedom and bliss of being a freak.
If you are actually suffering from snakebite, perhaps consult your GP before resorting to these witch doctors. However, if you are feeling even a little bit under-the-weather, go get a ticket now. This Medicine Show has a truly uplifting, curative quality that beats any anti-depressant. So, don’t be so frightened. They won’t bite… hard.
The Mr and Mrs Clarke Medicine Show
Chapter, Cardiff
See http://www.mrandmrsclark.co.uk/index.htmfor future dates.