Are you craving a pantomime with a touching tale of life on the seven seas? If you’re also partial to alt-comedy and a dash of meta silliness, enrich your Fringe experience with Charles de Poopier: A Musical at The Jade.

From local legends at artist collective House of Spaghetti, the story of our fabled hero, the titular Charles, is wholesome and hilarious. A romp which lands our hero in a pirate talent show with a tapestry of townies (including a cowboy of the sea and a rock legend) that delivers goofs by the minute. It’s spirited and lovely and stupid.

The cast excel at some unreasonably speedy costume changes while maintaining Anna Delvey-level accent ambiguity. That is nothing to say of our hero himself! Backed with a fun-loving clown brigade of ensemble cast who never skimp on energy, it’s easy to fall in love with the story’s protagonist in Charles.

The genius stroke and highlight of this show is the blissfully tight piano quartet, with graceful strings guiding the score from charming to delirious. I was entranced from the get-go, and only appreciated the seamlessness when the Uber driver’s Spotify flicked from Kacey Musgraves to Tool. Pretty cool guy. Pretty drastic change in musical genres. You know what does it seamlessly? Charles de Poopier!

It could have been a case of the Sunday scaries – but I’ll admit, as a *trigger warning* musical theatre lover (and by proxy a Gleek), I was craving at least ten-times the amount of camp. However, this downright funny show deserves praise for the wonderful niche it’s carved in the world, and by extension the fabulous team at House of Spaghetti. Supporting local artists? I say INCROYABLE!

Verdict: ★ ★ ★ ½

Name of show: Charles DePoopier: A Musical

Venue: The Jade

Duration: 45 mins

Tickets Full Price: $20.00 Double Your Applause (Admits 1): $40 Midweek Treat: $15

Tickets available here.