Since winning Drag Idol in 2011, Nigerian immigrant, Son of a Tutu has been delighting cabaret audiences the whole length and breadth of the country – whilst surreptitiously avoiding immigration officials, of course.
In Freckled – her new solo, full-length theatre show – she explores the topic of British multiculturalism. Charting her own journey from a small village in Nigeria, we see Tutu arriving wide-eyed and hopeful, if somewhat naive, adorned in traditional African dress and a vibrant gelee. From the opening number; Evita’s ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’ (music, literally, to my ears, as an ardent Evita fan) through to the various self-penned parodies, Tutu tries to detangle modern day British culture, through colonial eyes.
Even though the underlying tone of the show is that of a serious one, the whole vibe is uplifting. This is mainly due to the warmth that Tutu, as a performer, exudes to the audience; and also from the fact that the songs are very cleverly selected and then crafted into insightful, chin-stroking parodies. The best of those parodies being ‘Sleet, Snow and Sunshine’ – to the tune of ‘Walking on Sunshine’ – in which Tutu presented us with a map of Britain, touching on the areas most associated with fascist, racist and homophobic extremists. There was even a topical, and rightly-deserved, ribbing of Putin. Topicality was another strong theme that ran through Freckled. I’ve seen performers literally dying on their arse when attempting such risqué jokes. But not Tutu. Yes, there were gasps. And, as a performer, you want those gasps. But when delivered with that beaming smile and endearing lilt this brand of humour is much more palatable and this was reflected in the audience’s reaction.
A section of the show that some people may find a tad close to the bone is the Oscar Pistorius – to the tune of ‘Euphoria’ – song. Controversial, only due to the fact that it’s so very recent and raw. But this is satire. And, again, satire performed beautifully. Like an African Derek Acorah, Tutu summons the spirit of Reeva Steenkamp, arms and legs possessed by an entity known only to her. At the start of this particular section the audience were unsure as to how to react, but by the end they showed their appreciation with rapturous applause.
Freckled is a well crafted and feel-good show that ponders many of the societal curiosities that surround us today. There are some timing issues that need tightening up and perhaps a bigger element of visuality could be injected. Saying that, the crux of the show is superb and the strength of Tutu’s character is one that can be explored to the nth degree. We see the seeds of this with references to her son, Ade, in Freckled. The world of Son of a Tutu is a bright and inquisitive one. And one I want to know much more about.
