There’s something amusing about the concept of a cabaret featuring pickled vegetables. It’s not every day you see gherkins, onions, and carrots as the stars of the show, even in a variety lineup. Curiously, Ruxandra Cantir, the creator and performer, touches on her homeland of Moldova and the fascination with pickling.
The presentation is captivating, thanks to Fergus Dunnet’s imaginative designs for Shona Reppe’s production, part of the Made in Scotland showcase. Cantir transforms into an onion by pulling on a white knitted sweater and unveiling a tuft of stringy hair. The portrayal of a potato as a dirty lump that evolves throughout the performance is clever, while a large, vibrant gherkin adds a lively touch with its dance moves.
The tomatoes, however, remain just tomatoes, with each punchline of a corny joke resulting in them being pulped into ketchup.
With techniques from clowning and mime, she depicts a variety of scenarios—like feeling trapped in a pickle jar or yearning for love—yet the ideas often feel stretched too thin to sustain the duration of each scene.
Ultimately, the show depends heavily on an enthusiastic audience willing to slip into the cabaret spirit. Their cheers bring life to the performance, and without that energy, it risks feeling quite insubstantial.
Location: At Summerhall, Edinburgh until August 25.
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