In How to Art, New Zealand trio Ratbags Theatre reimagine Maurizio Cattelan’s banana-taped-to-the-wall artwork Comedian as a work of “post-post-post-ironic fruit art” featuring not one, but two, bananas, played by actual comedians.
As we watch, the work becomes sentient and the pair discover what it is to be art. They revel in their “untouchable” status in the gallery, then explore the boundaries of art by flogging audience members as art pieces. Then things start to break down as the bananas rot, their gallerist tries to rein them in, and an auction looms.
Paid with impish glee by Katie Burson and Georgie Llewellyn (joined by Bronwyn Ensor as the gallerist), the greatest pleasures here are in the leads’ joyful warmth, closeness and almost twin-like synchronicity. Calling to mind Terry Gilliam’s gurning Monty Python characters and recent mucky Fringe sensations Creepy Boys (with just a hint of Minions), the pair grin and babble in infectious unison.
After a gentle start, the show ramps up quickly in its second half, including a playacted love story featuring an actual banana and a quick visit to Berlin. If it becomes a little hard to keep up, we’re minded to forgive performers this charming, gamely cramming their Edinburgh debut with as much of themselves as humanly (or fruitily) possible.
How to Art, Underbelly Cowgate, until 30 Aug (not 17, 24), 9.40pm