Martha & Arthur are a dance/theatre/cabaret hybrid, combining eclectic sources from the backstreets of showbiz and counter culture. We draw eclectically from and combine dance and performance styles and traditions of the last hundred years; tap to euro-crash, krumping to Fosse, Artaud to The Muppets. Martha & Arthur is a collaboration between Marie-Louise Flexen and Robert Cook, both of whom have diverse performing and choreographic backgrounds, from cutting edge site specific and interactive work and underground clubs to cabaret, Opera and Street Theatre. Marie-Louise was a Place Price Semi-Finalist in 2004. Martha & Arthur performed their short pieces at Duckie, Hip Hip Club and Hub Cabaret amongst many others before crafting these into a full length show 'A Lot of Nerve'. The show was Time Out Critics choice (Cabaret section) both when it was performed at Hoxton Hall in 2007 and at Shunt Lounge in 2009. The show was shortlisted for a Total Theatre Award (Physical/Visual), when it was performed at the Pleasance at the Edinburgh Fringe '09. Martha is Marie-Louise Flexen, and more infomation on her can be found by clicking here Arthur is Robert Cook and more information on him can be found by clicking here | ||
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The Times Review of 'A Lot of Nerve' by Donald Hutera 27/8/09 Edinburgh in August is littered with shows and performers, thousands of them, and sometimes it’s the ones who don’t claim the attention who most deserve it. These little gems don’t need to be technically polished or large-scale to exert an off-the-cuff charm. Take, for instance, A Lot of Nerve, a slice of frivolous, slightly risqué alternative cabaret. This rib-tickling hour is the work of Martha and Arthur, the alter egos of Marie-Louise Flexen and Robert Cook. They have been performing together in various guises for nearly 20 years. She’s a feisty, rubber-faced comedienne; he is tall and louche. Together they’re a hoot in a fast-paced series of inventive dance routines that play up the absurdity, hard graft and sheer brio of showbusiness. Picture Bugs Bunny on a tacky road tour of an old MGM musical and you will have an inkling of what Martha and Arthur are all about. Their show is packed tight with wacky physicality and witty cultural references. Some (like their tiny suitcases festooned with stickers from Mumbai and Scunthorpe) are quick-fire visual gags. The soundtrack is a cascade of kitsch vocals and instrumental covers. The duo’s smart slapstick antics, delivered with breathless gusto, could earn them cult status.
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