Are You Lovin’ It? Theatre Group GUMBO, photo by Sue Brenner

Are You Lovin’ It (Venue 5, King Edward School)

By Alan Kellogg

Need a non-alcoholic break from one too many coming-of-age identity plays or satanic jugglers? Look no further, dear festival-goers. Relief is available from Osaka’s Theatre Group GUMBO.

Here is, I dunno, a company of Japanese Dadaist clowns or something like that, some dressed as WacDonalds employees. They gleefully, energetically, deliver a naughty, certifiably mad and political (but-endearingly not politically-correct) hour of vignettes and audience participation bits that will leave you sputtering with joy and amazement.

Dancing turds, Donald Trump, fast-food One World milkshakes including, well, a whizzed-up baby, intestines that reach into the audience and serve as a limbo stick and jump rope, a stereotypical maniacally laughing Japanese businessman no one but a countryman could get away with, a dancing, prancing Jesus Christ character complete with a crown of thorns — are you getting the gist of this?

So if you’re not revolted, by all means catch this one, which approaches a kind of kinked genius for the not-faint of heart. Now that’s it’s legal and as long as you’re not driving, might I suggest a dropper of Aurora oil to complement the show….