Shrute and Tungsta

Weird art is alive and well at the Fringe. The moment a performer in a balaclava, ultra short-shorts, and an I <3 Berlin shirt walked out of the theatre to stare down the line like a bouncer, I knew some strange shit was about to go down.

This is not quite like anything I’ve seen this year. I actually didn’t read the premise going in. I added the show after reading hundreds of show descriptions back in July and, by the time I exhaustedly reached this listing, figured the title sounded cool and the synopsis mentioned clowning and that was good enough for me.

There wasn’t a moment in this show where I could’ve confidently predicted where it was going. The physical performance is actually bonkers good. I was endlessly impressed by the two leads. The tech they use is genuinely novel and impressive, particularly the speaker setup. At some points I laughed so hard I startled myself. I was confused most of the time but really enjoying myself being confused. The end is too abrupt for me, although maybe that’s appropriate given how jarring almost every bit in this show is.

I can see this show being very divisive with audiences. I was lucky to be part of a fairly young crowd who had great energy and was buying into it. There is no one on earth who could see this show and call it broadly comedic or targeted towards a wide audience, and for that at least I have to give kudos.

Two things can be true.

Shrute and Tungsta, as played by Harper Oud and Aidan Collins, respectively, are a hilariously odd duo. The pair had the Saturday night audience laughing riotously.

And their show, also called Shrute and Tungsta feels like a series of wild comedic segments held together by a thin narrative.

But all along the way there will be laughs. And head-scratching. But mostly laughs.

This show had me very entertained. Pretty funny duo and did a great job keeping the audience engaged. It is pretty all over the place but as someone who DOES usually prefer “mainstream theatre” I really enjoyed this. So if you are also that type, you should see Shrute and Tungsta for a laugh! I think it was pretty unique out of the theatre I have seen, in a great way. I will say it was a little racy in some parts, which isn’t always my cup of tea and feels unnecessary sometimes, but didn’t take away from the show. Also perfect length, but you can tell there was great thought that went into that 1 hour. I wasn’t sure what to expect when going into this, but I WAS entertained and had some laughs. So if you are looking for entertainment and a good performance this is a good show for that. I’d even see it again since there was a fair amount of audience interaction, so I’m sure each run is quite different. Overall, good performance.

Ever wonder what it's like to be in the bathroom of famous Berlin club Berghain? Well now you can find out in Shrute and Tungsta. Two techno DJs who live in the bathroom of Berghain face the trials and tribulations of fame, record deals, love and identity. Aidan Collins (Tungsta) and Harper Oud (Shrute) have the most incredible stage chemistry possible and work together in such a seamless way. This show made an effort to push boundaries through art, music and sexual identity. And they definitely achieved that. Their interactive crowd work and storytelling made for a hilarious experience that's worth checking out if you love art that's a little confusing, sorta uncomfortable and yet leaves you wanting more!

Shrute and Tungsta is exactly the type of clown show I come to the Fringe for. They're strange, they're horny, they're vulgar, the premise is just niche enough, and the performances were absolutely electric. Harper Oud and Aidan Collins are both very strong performers and they worked very hard to engage with an audience that, at the performance I attended, I wish had a bit more enthusiasm for the risks they were taking onstage. It ended up working in the show's favour though, since Shrute and Tungsta are a little hostile to their audience as it is. This duo is a Fringe darling in the making — I'm just happy I got to see them before they got big.