Jake Mace
The raison d’etre for Oasissy is to prove to their namesake band of brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher to accept that they’re maybe a little more queer than they’re letting on. Don’t Look Back in Anger, Babes is a fifty minute head-first cabaret dive into the band’s history, lyrics, and perhaps more importantly how they inspired another duo to get together – Oasissy themselves. A riotously raucous, chaotically cathartic, gender-bending queering of 90s Britrock – Oasissy will definitely maybe have you hooked with their bizarre charm and brazen storytelling style.
Our genderqueer drag clown hosts are already drawing facial hair on each other with crayons as we enter the SpiegelYurt to witness the reunited gig to beat all reunited gigs. Dipping and diving between the lore of the original brothers and how a chance encounter in a portaloo in Knebsworth brought Oassisy together, With sing-a-long tributes to the band that emphasise the more euphemistic end of the band’s lyrics matched with high energy tomfoolery that blasts through the escapades that saw the brothers part, we find out the true purpose of the night: to get the brothers back together inside the yurt for one night only, and possibly to try and get inside them for one night only too.
What follows is a trip down the rabbit hole of the minds that brought you Oasissy – Kirsty Biff Nicolson and Annabel Cooper – including a ritual to summon the brothers with looping sex noises marred together with the band’s tunes. I won’t ruin too much, but the last twenty minutes of this cabaret bonanza throw you against the wall in fits of laughter. Physical comedy marries with some fun, daring, and overarchingly silly cabaret concepts to deliver an insanely off-the-wall Britrock fantasy, which soon dissolves in a pool of fanciful mischief and hijinks.
The driving force of this non-stop laughter machine and ode to our bizarre cultural nostalgia for some deeply problematic Rockstars is the undeniable energy and pathos of Biff and Cooper’s performances. We’re told from the start of the show that this is a party, and yet there is a clean and intelligent focus on everybody having a good time. Dedicating the first five minutes of the piece to making sure people feel comfortable with visual, audio, and neurodiversity-inclusive physical aids proves the level of thought that has gone into making this piece fly. While this could have just been a rampant barrage through the Oasis discography, I was deeply pleased to see a fun, satirical, and witty unravelling of our connections to the artists we love put together with flair and a consent-led approach to getting everyone in the party state of mind.
With flippant nudity, unblushing sexuality, and an intoxicating sense of verve, we’re delivered to the inevitable (and included) cease and desist letter by masterful hosts who care deeply about two things. Firstly, transmitting their undying love for the batshit parts of Britrock. Secondly, an unwavering care for the audience and everyone who has been invited to their party. The musical parts are all there, with rip-roaring performances delivering the crowd-pleasing moments, while the enrapturing silliness of it all eventually drags you into the pair’s fantastic chemistry and deep-seated passion.
Batshit, bold, and fantastically fresh – Oasissy offer up the very best of late night satirical cabaret at this year’s Fringe.
Recommended Drink: Liam Gallagher’s favourite cocktail is a Frozen Margarita – so come on Ar’ Kids, be sure to find your best refrigerated cocktails out for this one.
Catch Oasissy: Don’t Look Back in Anger for one last night this evening at 22:40 at BlundaGardens: Magical SpiegelYurt. Entrance is pay what you want. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Box Office.
Phoebe Bakker
