Paul T Davies reviews Le Gateau Chocolat's Icons now playing at Assembly George Square Gardens at the Edinburgh Fringe
Le Gateau Chocolat Le Gateau Chocolat Icons
Assembly George Square Gardens
21 August 2018
5 Stars
And here is a show you feel privileged to witness. Opera, Eighties hits, gay icons and figures from history, Lycra and fascinators all combine in a deeply personal show from Le Gateau Chocolat. If you don't know this legendary performer, then make it your business to find out!
From his childhood in Nigeria, his dawning sexuality, to discovering who he is, to running the London marathon, to now, in front of us in the Piccolo tent, Le Gateau Chocolat references his icons and their impact on his life. I doubt any other show will encompass Whitney, Jesse Norman, Maya Angelou, Madonna, Kate Bush, Barrack Obama and more with such style.
And that voice! Hits are slowed down, a spiritual hymn and a ballad from Wicked will pierce your soul and heart, the Madonna marathon will delight you and it's impossible not to sing along with How Will I Know! Although the gardens outside are noisy, in the tent you can hear a pin drop during the ballads. Backed by two excellent musicians, (the Meatloaf tribute is another highlight!), This is an artist at the height of his powers.
As you can tell, I can't recommend it enough! Presented by Soho Theatre, you should always take your opportunity to see THIS icon perform.
LE GATEAU CHOCOLAT TICKETS
Paul is a playwright, director, actor, academic, (he has a PhD from the University of East Anglia), teacher and theatre reviewer! His plays include Living with Luke, (UK tour 2016), Play Something, (Edinburgh Festival Fringe/Drayton Arms Theatre, London 2018), , (2019), and now The Miner’s Crow, which won the inaugural Artist’s Pick of the Fringe Award at the first ever Colchester Fringe Festival 2021. In lockdown 2020 he created the audio series Isolation Alan, available on Youtube, and performed online in the Voice Box Festival. He is the founder member of Stage Write, a Colchester based theatre company, and his acting roles include Rupert in How We Love by Annette Brook, first performed at the Vaults Festival 2020 and revived at the Arcola and at Theatre Peckham in 2021. Follow: @stagewrite_
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