I am not a cat person. It’s not that I don’t like them specifically, but I’m allergic to them, so it is best if they stay out of my life. With Puss Puss, however, my mind may have been changed. The brainchild of performer Natalia Sledz, this one-hour show tells the story of a naughty cat that is afraid of water (amongst other things). Through this hilarious one-woman show, we see the highs and lows of this cat's life, as well as the highs and lows of relying on an audience to steer the performance in the direction the artist would like. 

It’s a brave artist who performs a show with no words. Braver still to be performing your very first solo show with the help of a 9.20 pm Adelaide Fringe audience. Puss Puss is a mischievous cat who runs around the stage (and the crowd) getting up to all sorts of nonsense, like breaking boxes, smoking catnip and running out the door. But when it comes to bath time, this kitty does not want to play. And that is the basis of this story. Through all the shenanigans onstage, it’s a show with heart. Mimicking the performer herself, it’s about overcoming your fears and realising that your biggest worries are, most of the time, all in your head. 

Of course, what makes this show stand out above just any other physical comedy show is that it relies on a smart audience to read the cues and play along with these cat-and-mouse games (literally). Spraying Puss Puss with a spray bottle when she’s naughty, feeding her when she runs out the door, and putting a collar on her are just some of the things the crowd is supposed to take part in when the time calls for it. For the most part, it works well. But, as usual, there is always someone who spoils the fun. In our audience, we had a guy who thought it would be funny to spray Puss Puss whenever he felt like it, getting up onstage and trying to be part of the show when nobody asked him to. The stage is sacrosanct. This is an artist's sanctuary. Unless called upon, no one should be getting up onstage uninvited. That’s what makes this whole show fascinating in a deeper sense. It’s not just a comedy performance but sort of a social experiment into how an audience behaves when let off the leash (no pun intended). And as I mentioned earlier, it takes a very brave performer to produce this type of show without knowing how it will turn out. It is also one of the reasons I absolutely loved it. 

****1/2 Four and a Half Stars