Bane 3: Fringe Review

4/5

Following the sell-out success of Bane 1 and 2, Joe Bone returns for the third instalment of his high-octane film noir parodies.  A one-man show featuring a host of characters distinguished through various accents and idiosyncrasies, he creates comedic crime-thriller stories through strong characterisation and impressive acting skills.

A continuation of last year’s Bane 2, Bone’s latest effort sees hired hand Bruce Bane attempt to lay down his gun in favour of a retired life with wife and family in the aptly-named Sunny View.  This human side to the hit man, witnessed here for the first time, adds a refreshing change to the play, thus making it more engaging to watch and more shocking when things start to go wrong.  References to previous characters provide light relief for die-hard fans whilst not confusing those who are new to the show – this is a trilogy that can be seen in any order, each standing up as an individual play in its own right.

In a similar fashion to its predecessors, Bane 3 is hectic and chaotic at first, but once the audience’s attention is grasped they remain hooked to every word as the tense story unfolds.  Arguably funnier than the previous shows, Bane 3 offers a selection of well-thought out lines and entertaining clichés that can be spotted from a mile off in what is, once again, a very successful performance.

3^rd – 28^th Aug 2011 (not 15^th), 5:20pm, Pleasance Dome, £10(£8)

Taken from Informed Edinburgh, published online Aug 2011.