Plan C is described by its Parisian-Danish creator Casper Scheljbred as an “existential comedy”. Such a bold claim has me sceptical: will this be a self-indulgent solo piece trading on its European roots and the inherent raised status that Kiwis tend to give the shining jewels of imported theatre? I wonder whether this show might go against what I – rightly or wrongly – see as the kaupapa of Fringe: making space for a number 8 wire approach to theatre; the ‘why not put on Fringe show, mate?’ that my friends and I largely seem to approach it with.

And anyway, will the humour of mime and improvisation, which often relies so heavily on the performer being able to respond in a quick, quippy and topical way, work properly when filtered through a language barrier? 

Unknown to him, as a European import, Casper Schedljibred is going to have a job on his hands winning me over.

Schedjibred manages this gradually and skillfully. For a start he draws us in on the reason for the name of his show, allowing the audience an immediate connection with him. Plan C – perhaps also chosen for his first name initial – is the plan you make when your dream has failed; when business as usual has failed. Plan C is the moment you have no idea what could happen. He asks rhetorically: haven’t you all had a plan like that? A Plan C?  Of course we know what he means and of course we have. 

In this gentle way he begins to build a knowing relationship with his audience, creating the illusion that he is less in control of where we are headed than we know must be.

Although the disarming pace and tinny tone of his mash-up soundtrack does not serve his jokes all that well, his adept physical comedy hits the mark and induces sometimes hearty and sometimes uncomfortable laughter in his small but highly-engaged audience.  

The ‘second-language-learner’ air of text book formality lends the show an extra charm and sense of character, despite occasionally leaving me needing an extra second or two to grapple with the intended meaning. His rapport with the audience stops the show from jarring too much at any particular point. He even manages to rescue himself from an audience offer that requires a knowledge of, and opinion about, New Zealand political figures.

Overall a delightfully sustained comedic hour that would only be enhanced by a larger audience who were committed to jumping aboard with Plan C just to see where it took them. 

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