Playing on the ambiguous relationship between Dame Granny Smith and ventriloquist David Salter, this hour smoothly moves between gentle humour and pathos. Granny Smith is an apple, but whether she is a deluded old lady or genuine superstar is ambiguous: Salter himself doubles as carer and host, before the show gradually reveals a more poignant truth and touches on themes of grief and isolation.
The introduction of the dame promises that she was the star of Snow White, and the script works around cultural changes that marked out the recent remake’s tepid controversy. Smith is a caricature of the aging diva, all hard scrabble origins and grandiose boasts: Salter performs a nervousness in her presence that perhaps hides the darker truth of their connection.
With a degree of friendly audience interaction and a familiar yet charming parody of show-business egotism, Dame Granny Smith leans into ventriloquism’s past as light entertainment. While there are some serious themes addressed towards the finale, it majors on the gentle mockery of the pomposity and insecurities of both dummy and human: the transition to more sensitive material never quite mines the emotional depths. Engaging and fun, with Salter keeping his lips still while the apple flaps hers, it suggests that the old favourites from vaudeville can stretch out into extended formats.
An Evening with Dame Granny Smith, Underbelly, George Square, until 25 Aug (not 12), 1.20pm