Review: Pss Pss

Staging a mime show during the Fringe presents a number of challenges. Short attention spans are easily overcome, but the sound bleed from neighbouring tents is trickier. Though the two (mostly mute) mimes in Pss Pss can't drown out their neighbours, they are able to incorporate them into their whimsical tribute to classic mime.

Their impressive shows of athleticism place a surprising amount of trust in audience members (to great effect). In between, they adapt their dance steps to the sounds of other shows coming through the tent walls and manage to poke fun at the traditional mime of Marcel Marceau. With minimal props, they rely on physical comedy and an incredible athleticism to keep the audience entertained, and the gasps and laughs are evenly spread out.

There's no narrative in Pss Pss, but echoes of the duo's body movements and exaggerated facial expressions resonate throughout. These recurring gestures and sounds give shape to their personalities, and as the show progresses they become emboldened to engage the audience more and escalate the difficulty of their acrobatic feats.

This gentle show pokes fun at the performers and audience as well as the traditions of clowning, and while it occasionally goes for the easy laughs, the accompanying routines are anything but.