Frank Woodley – Extra Ordinary: A Hilarious Tribute To William Shakespeare…ish – Adelaide Fringe Review

Arts Theatre, Tue 16 Feb Extra Ordinary is a fitting title for Frank Woodley, who seems like an ordinary human being, until he engages that extra that he is – the inner physical comic that makes the ordinary so extra. The show takes us on a journey to Woodley’s little Shakespeare tribute show, at least that’s what we’re led to believe as we weave through Woodley’s growing up, his sporting ‘exploits’ as a youngster (definitely not a youngstar) and a fascination for the silliness of the English language. One of the themes of the show is invented words and he quotes that statistically 1 in 10 of the words Shakespeare used was a new/invented word in the language (such as bedroom). Extra Ordinary starts with the silly props and leads to a discussion of wigs and then earwigs, as an example of the silliness of words – how could this word have arisen? In any case, Woodley performs some of his physical routines; his already amusing show is transformed in the blink of an eye into slapstick humour and there is no doubt, the more Extra Ordinary Frank Woodley’s physical characterisations become, the more the audience laughs their approval. Woodley acts out a series of models on the catwalk, as well as some of the people whose unusual walks and struts grab our attention. How he can then string them together, going from one immediately into the next is another piece of Extra Ordinary. Woodley’s Shakespeare piece, a silly costume and a string of lyrical pearls such that you’d be unlikely to hear in Kmart anytime and all too soon our hour and a half with this master of physical comedy is over and a very satisfied audience laughs, claps and leaves all smiling. Clayton Werner Frank Woodley – Extra Ordinary continues at The Arts Theatre from 8.30pm until Sun 21 Mar. Book at FringeTIX on 1300 621 255 and adelaidefringe.com.au. Click HERE to purchase your tickets.