Remember that track, ‘Nice Weather for Ducks’ with that repetitive nursery rhyme style mantra about swimming in the water by Lemon Jelly? Now, listening to that, would you expect to see a two-and-a-half-hour Fringe show by Lemon Jelly’s Fred Deakin consisting of dancing to Rick Astley and Take That’s ‘It Could Be Magic’? Well, it happened.
The founder of Lemon Jelly goes deep into his memoir in this whirlwind Fringe show, encouraging audience participation and oozing warmth and enjoyment for all involved. Deakin’s connection to Edinburgh is soon explained, as he reflects on opting for this city for his university experience, which led to DJ-ing at club nights like Blue and Misery. Through Club Life, he invites the audience to experience his nights, and pulls them back into the 80s and 90s for a culture joyride in the depths of Edinburgh’s underground club scene, with a handful of dance actors that plant themselves across the venue to encourage high-octave energy.
Combining Deakin’s warm regale for the past with the music of nights gone by makes for a wonderous and fun Fringe show, which nostalgically sheds a spotlight on a moment in Deakin’s life that resonates with so many. Involving theatre actors and club lighting, it’s an immersive experience like none other at Edinburgh’s Fringe.
The most astounding thing about the show is that similarly to Deakin’s club nights, the audiences take a punt and throw themselves onto the dancefloor at any given opportunity, no matter the song. It’s a sheer joy to step back in time onto the disco hall floor, for escapism and mayhem, swimming in the water with all the rest of those ducks in Summerhall’s TechCube.
