Jake Mace
Bonkers, batshit, whip-smart fun is at the heart of BANGTAIL, Lil Wenker’s one-person clown odyssey into manhood and meaning in the heart of Texas. In a highly physical journey across deserts, mountains, saloons, the bedrooms of the local drunk women, and beyond, Wenker leads an audience through a deeply silly cowboy caricature into something a little deeper under the surface. Can our Cowboy find his sense of purpose? Can he live up to all the expectations of being the Baddest Cowboy in Texas? How does an accountancy firm for cattle feed in Minnesota get wrapped up in all this?
Wenker conducts the crowd like an orchestra, assigning roles with impish fancy – with one member of the audience becoming Bangtail’s beloved steed, another one of his many lovers, as well as playing the many sounds of the desert as we traverse the landscape. Wenker teaches the crowd the sounds and then is very happy to rewind back on the story if anyone acts up, or occasionally tries to outshine her performance. The whole thing is so frivolous, so stomach-achingly funny, that you barely have time to stop and realise how ingeniously quickly this atmosphere has been created.
Bangtail is a devilishly well-crafted character, with Wenker delivering a masterclass in clownish comedy. Every movement delivers a sparkling of laughter, while also creating a highly silly story-world for the crowd to completely dissolve into. As Bangtail climbs up a mountain we play the wind that batters him down, and Wenker is more than happy to tell us if we aren’t giving her the momentum she needs to get where she wants Bangtail to end up.
A husky, sometimes barely intelligible voice matches with rootin’ tootin’ attitude from Bangtail, who will admonish anyone who isn’t offering their very best performance, without ever really dropping character. A scene in which an audience member playing a Drunk Lady is yanked up on stage for a sex scene is meticulously well put together – with Bangtail keeping in gruff character despite also reassuring the audience member that there will be no physical touch, and that the scene will only go as off-the-rails as the audience are comfortable with.
It’s clear Wenker cares about how the audience walks away feeling, just as much as she does about stuffing as many off-the-wall laughs she can into the hour. Sections of audience interaction, which make up most of the piece, never feel untimely or bothersome, instead we’re all willed into being apart of Bangtail’s sideways Wild West World. As Bangtail comes to meet his nemesis, everything goes South quickly, and we find ourselves down a bizarre existential rabbit hole.
While the comedy holds up pretty well in this section, it’s such a jarring change from the rest of the piece which I think takes a minute for you to get involved with. The piece drops some of its’ pre-established themes, but this isn’t done for a gag, instead to add a little light-touch of depth to the piece, which ultimately explores living up to expectations through this gorgeously funny and rich clownish lens. You’re never sure how far we’re going down the existential path – and the piece does lose a little bit of pace and clarity in this section – but Wenker invites you to hold on for the ride, and keeps you along with her adeptly.
Pure, riotous, clowning glory – BANGTAIL lassoes you into a boundless world of frivolous fun that is mischievous escapism done at its very best. Fresh, fast, freeing alternative comedy.
Recommended Drink: Grab yerself’ a Sarsparilla and let Bangtail have a big ol’ sip!
Catch Lil Wenker: BANGTAIL from 16:15 until August 25th at Pleasance Courtyard – Cellar. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Box Office.
Interested in the story behind BANGTAIL? Lil Wenker wrote us a deeply funny opinion piece on clowning earlier this year. Check it out here.
Phoebe Bakker
