Rooms are available at the Hotel Paradiso, a ‘quirkily ineffective’ hotel on the French Riviera, embroiled in bankruptcy and chaos. Two of our reviewers checked in (and left a generous tip) at the beginning of the show, a delightful cocktail of physical comedy, theatre and circus acrobatics. Meet the characters; Carmello, your Spanish concierge with a heart of gold, who’ll do anything to save the hotel he works in; Lucia, the maid, is intent on dusting every inch of the chandelier (even if she’s hanging from it); and the bellboy keeps losing his hat amongst the antics. The story follows the previous owner, Madame, as she and her motley crew – the hotel staff, as well as a good-natured banker she is in love with – fight to save Paradiso from the clutches of the greedy Madame Sausage (pronounced the French way).
With a clever integration of comedy, performance and stunts, Lost In Translation truly encapsulated us within the world of their story. The actors’ melodramatic characterisation made us instantly warm to them and further involved us in the magic of their theatre – it was clear every actor understood the purpose of their character. The acts were equally as enticing and fear-provoking, with every complex movement executed to perfection, leaving the audience awestruck. The accompanying music (a bespoke score by Peter Reynolds, renowned circus Musical Director) only elevated the dramatic atmosphere that this performance already possessed. All the cast members emulated a sense of confidence that hooked us from the beginning. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed watching this comedic and tense storyline unfold, accompanied by death-defying and daring acts. The wow-factor certainly wasn’t lost in translation.
Lost in Translation Circus have been producing Hotel Paradiso, an offbeat, comedy circus/theatre piece for culture festivals around the world since 2016; the family-friendly, multilingual spectacle has charmed audiences in English, French and Italian. You, too, can stay at the wackiest and most acrobatic hotel around, as the Hotel Paradiso goes to Edinburgh for a mammoth run of shows at the Fringe from the 6th to the 27th August. Book tickets here.
By the Fringe Review Team (Darcy Homan, Alex Keyse, Anya Poerscout-Edgerton, and Sophie Corry)
