Reuben Kaye is a consummate performer, and a fierce supporter of other artists in the performing arts.
These two aspects intersect in The Kaye Hole – Hosted by Reuben Kaye, a late night cabaret show, staged very late on each Friday and Saturday night (and some Thursdays) of the Edinburgh Fringe.
Kaye kicks off proceedings themselves, with their usual mix of comedy, singing, and reading society for filth. It’s one of the refreshing aspects of Kaye’s work that they punch up, not down, making razor-sharp barbs aimed at those in power, and their hypocritical stances.
This is a cabaret show, and Kaye’s role, as well as warming the audience up, is to introduce a small roster of acts. In effect this is a ‘best of the Fringe’ type of show, with each selected act performing for around ten minutes or so.
The roster of acts changes for each performance of the show, and there were six acts in the performance we saw. First was Kemah Bob, a stand up comedian originally from Texas, demonstrating the vibes and energy of her show Miss Fortunate.
This was followed by the producer of Children Are Stinky, performing a definitely NOT child-friendly cabaret routine. Not suitable for a family audience, the piece was amusing, and all too real to a section of the audience.
Quickly following on was the headliner from Swamplesque, a burlesque show which is an entirely legally distinct enterprise, and definitely not a parody of Dreamworks 2001 film Shrek. Seriously, there’s been a court case about it.
Kaye then returned for an extended demonstration of their own material. They also have another show at this year’s Fringe – Reuben Kaye: Live and Intimidating.
We then moved into the ‘second act’, which featured Australian Comic Rhys Nicholson, and performer Michelle Brasier who gave us an epic rendition of Celine Dion’s ‘It’s all coming back to me now’ – complete with “wind machine”. To end it all was Tara Boom, hula hooping with a popcorn machine strapped to their head, in a very, very adult version of their routine that is one of the few recurring acts to appear in The Kaye Hole.
The acts are superb, but what is just as enjoyable is the sense of camaraderie and safety in the room. Kaye is explicit that this is a queer space, and a safe space. Performers need rooms to be able to work in, to experiment in, and to try new ideas in. They need spaces, and time, and money, to be able to make their art – however ‘weird’, and a queer audience needs to be able to congregate somewhere where they know they can be themselves, without fear of aggression being directed towards them.
Kaye creates this safe, nurturing space. It is a joy to be here, and a delight to be amongst a community of fellow travellers – audience and creatives, indeed, an audience which also includes other creatives, all gathered together to celebrate the spirit of creativity and excess that the Edinburgh Fringe sometimes seems to want to stifle.
Go and see this show – it is an uplifting experience of the type which is so rare to find in these times of increasingly heightened tensions and division. The Kaye Hole is a remarkable highlight of the Fringe schedule, and its scarcity, with so few performances, makes it even more precious.
The Kaye Hole Hosted by Reuben Kaye continues at Assembly George Square Gardens – Palais du Varieties (venue 3), at 23:45 on the 9th, 10th, 15th – 17th, and 22nd – 24th August.
Featured Image credit: Jax Moussa
