In a year where our review team where spoilt for choice there is one outstanding winner.
As Brighton Editor I took a step back from the Fringe a little this year to concentrate on performance. Having said that we had a lovely team of three covering upward of 40 shows with an abundance of wonderful shows to see.
After deep consideration the team have decided to award Bloody Influencersthe 2023 Best Show award. Congratulations to writers Ena Begovic (Who also performed the one woman show) and Ben Mansbridge. Director Sofia Zaragoza and everyone at the East London Theatre Collective.
Other shows of note include: Selena Mersey: Madonna/Whore, a musical and comedic romp through the work of Freud and the Madonna/Whore complex. Brighton’s Little Theatre production of Bronte, The acrobatic stylings of Godz and the crazy wrestling show Mythos Ragnarok.
Here’s what our reviewer Lela Tredwell has to say about Bloody Influencers:
“Despite being about something seemingly shallow and fake, Bloody Influencers couldn’t be more real. The performance is outstanding; the multimedia approach is perfectly executed, and the message is vital. This theatre followed us home. It’s our Best in Fringe Show because seeing it really mattered. It wormed its way into our hearts. It had us hanging on a hook. Then, it gutted us.
The way Bloody Influencers flips the camera lens from taking selfies, to positioning its audience in the viewfinder, is inspired. It explores addiction, identity, enablers, and our relationship with technology in a profound way that has us questioning just how we are to control that which is destructive to us, when it is considered socially acceptable in our society. Bloody Influencers is a beautiful mix of comedy, absurdity and honesty. We chuckle at the ridiculousness of humanity, and then we weep. Its content may feel incredibly current, but the questions it asks are timeless: What have we done? Where are we going? Why are we here? What matters most?”
On receiving the news of award, while on a bus in Croatia, Ena Begovic, Bloody Influencers co-writer and performer said:
“I’m so excited so happy and grateful that the hard work and love towards creating something meaningful from my small team Ben, Sofia and me was recognised. We wanted to move the audience, we wanted to speak about contemporary themes and social media influence on people’s lives.
Now! I can’t wait to get out of the bus and celebrate! Thank you everyone who supported the show and thank you for choosing us! ”
As well as the award itself the production team receiving a years worth of free advertising on the Reviews Hub website.
