Adam & Eve…And Steve is an easy-going, fun, new comedy musical, which has already enjoyed previous success at both the Hollywood Fringe and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. For the next five weeks, it is being produced by King’s Head Theatre in association with Flying Entertainment and AES.
The show has a small cast – but given that it is set during biblical creation, at the very beginning of “peoplekind”, this is hardly surprising. In fact, the only characters around are God, Beelzebub (“Beelz”), Adam and Eve. Oh, and Steve.
Steve is exuberant, wonderful, gay – and not exactly part of God’s plan. However, in this comic spin on the bible’s account of how we all came to be here, Beelz has mischievously caused Steve to be created in between Adam and Eve. In fact, by the time Eve comes along, Adam and Steve have started to get on very well and Adam soon becomes torn when he realises he will have to choose between them.
Steve is overtly infatuated with Adam, Eve is outrageously flirtatious, and the two descend into hilarious conflict whilst Adam does his best not to tear his hair out. Ultimately, there is not a lot more to the plot than that – and even for a one act play, at times I wanted there to be more to the story. But overall it is an impressive show. The script and lyrics are both clever in parts, and the innuendos and dialogue create many laugh out loud moments.
I enjoyed the choreography and pace of the performance – there is a high, almost farcical energy to the show, which never lets up, and this is aided by short scenes, short songs and creative lighting. Dale Adams, playing Steve, adds to the vivacity of the show further – displaying fantastic movement and enhancing the comedy with his over-the-top gestures throughout.
I was also blown away by a couple of the songs. Hayley Hampson, playing Eve, has a beautifully diverse voice with a wonderful range – and she complimented her talented male counterparts brilliantly.
A special mention should go to Stephen McGlynn, playing Beelz. Many of my favourite moments were in fact some of Beelz’ more subtle expressions and comments, which often had me in stitches.
I’m pleased to see ‘Adam & Eve…And Steve’ will enjoy a relatively long run at King’s Head Theatre, and if you’re looking for a spot of fun, I would suggest you get down there!
Reviewed by Rachel Watts
