“I’m Madame du Thé and I’m worldly and wise,
Oh the wonders I’ve seen with these elegant eyes.
So much knowledge is crammed in this pretty little head,
Pythagoras theorem, the Dutch language, 93 names for shades of red.”You are cordially invited to take a peep inside Madame Fanny Du Thé’s Cabinet of Curiosities. Unsatisfied with the expectations thrust upon her as an aristocratic Georgian young lady to stay still and look pretty, Fanny has ventured across seas and explored the world. Now she’s back, and she wants to share her new-found wordly wisdom with you, you lucky devils. Reach into her cabinet to see what curio grabs you, and let Fanny enlighten you with her titillating, musical tales. Will you fondle the Frenchman’s finger? Will you pinch the cursed cherub’s cheek? There’s only one way to find out – come along and sneak a peek.
In Riddlestick Theatre’s ‘comedy cabaret of curiosity’, The Cabinet of Madame Fanny Du Thé, the audience are invited by eccentric 18th century aristocratic adventurer, Madame Fanny, to take their pick from her cabinet of curiosities. For whichever curio they choose, Fanny and her servants perform the elaborate tale behind it. But while Fanny revels in performing her outrageously fun and frolicsome stories, somebody far more serious is on their way to burst her bubble. Performed by six multi-rolling actor-musicians, the show features songs and stories in a mixture of genres. Stories include ‘The Frenchman’s Finger’, a tale of lust and revenge with a Django Reinhardt inspired score; ‘The Pirates and the Giant Squid’, featuring a folk-shanty singing rabble of misogynist pirates; and ‘Dr Otto, The Mad Scientist’, a surreal, Kraftwerk-inspired tale of a problematic brain-transplant. The show features audience interaction, and the order of stories can change per performance depending on what the audience choose, keeping the company on their toes. The Cabinet of Madame Fanny Du Thé is a voyage of hilarity, an exploration of women’s independence, and a celebration of imagination and curiosity.
This was Riddlestick Theatre’s second show. It debuted in the woods at Brainchild Festival 2017, and was performed for one night at The Room Above, Bristol in July. After fantastic audience responses, we performed a three further shows at The Room Above on the 27th and 28th October. We are currently planning further performances over summer 2018.
Written and Directed by Tom Manson and Kate Stokes
Music by Tom Manson and Sophie Jackson
Additional Material Written by George Meredith
Cast: Daniel Duncan (Violin), Sophie Jackson (Cello), Tom Manson (Guitar), George Meredith, Ashley Scott, Kate Stokes
Audience Social Media Responses:
“Still utterly blown away by brilliance of @riddle_stick’s show at @TheRoomAbove last night. I haven’t laughed that much in a long time!”
“An amazing performance of @riddlesticktheatre’s show The Cabinet of Madame Fanny Due The – what a joy to watch such a fun and poignant message”
“Delightfully fannytastic show, if I might be so bold. I particularly appreciated the excellent music, witty writing and energetic characterisations. And the Pirates. Bravo!”
“Genuinely the best £6.00 I have ever spent… you were all fab… thank you so much”
“So much fun watching @riddle_stick at @TheRoomAbove, Hilarious! #curiousity #dothechachaslide #randygoat #juggledembrains #girlsaregreat”
“Great to see @riddle_stick last night, excellent show.”
Poster Illustration by Billie Turner
riddlestick.com 