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Brighton Fringe

REVIEW: Marcel Lucont: Les Enfants Terribles @ Bosco Spiegeltent

June 7, 2024

Marcel Lucont: Les Enfants Terribles – A Game Show For Awful Children

Bosco: Brighton Spiegeltent

Ah, mes amis, it is not every day one witnesses a spectacle where enfant terrible meets the art of comedy with such élan. Marcel Lucont, the self-proclaimed “grumpiest Frenchman”, has truly outdone himself in his latest offering at the Brighton Fringe. Les Enfants Terribles – A Game Show For Awful Children is a tour de force of wit, whimsy, and wonderful wordplay, a veritable joie de vivre for both young and old.

From the moment you step into the tent, it is clear that Lucont has crafted a show that operates on multiple levels. His sophisticated jabs and double entendres fly over the heads of the little ones, hitting the parents with a delightful coup de grâce. Meanwhile, the enfants themselves are entranced by the daft, scatological humor that Lucont effortlessly weaves into his performance, ensuring that no child is left out of the fun.

Jason-Read Photo

Lucont’s mastery of improvisation shines through as he engages with his audience, showcasing his ability to navigate the unpredictable waters of children’s humor with a deftness that is impressive. What could easily devolve into chaos under lesser hands becomes, in Lucont’s, an entertaining and coherent spectacle that keeps the audience laughing throughout the afternoon.

The highlight of the show, is the J’Accuse segment. Here, Lucont invites children to share their parents’ most embarrassing moments, live on stage. The result is a hilarious confessional that spares no one, least of all the hapless adults who find themselves the butt of their children’s innocent yet devastating honesty. It’s a brilliant piece of interactive theater that leaves everyone in stitches and ensures that the show is not just something to watch, but something to experience.

Lucont’s personification of the sardonic Frenchman, complete with perpetual shrug and world-weary sighs, provides the perfect vehicle for his sharp barbes aimed at modern UK life and parenting. His criticisms are delivered with a charm that makes even the most biting remarks feel like a friendly taquinerie.

In sum, Marcel Lucont: Les Enfants Terribles – A Game Show For Awful Children is a delightful divertissement that is worth every moment. It is a show that truly offers something for everyone, from the youngest gamin to the oldest adulte. This is not just a show, but an afternoon of laughter, surprise, and pure enjoyment.

Bravo, Monsieur Lucont! This is an engaging spectacle in which kids get to be pests, politicians and pétomanes which gently, but ruthlessly mines a rich seam of humor of insouciance meeting infantile exuberance.

 

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