Goodbye Dandelion theatre review: Unassumingly profound
A touching story of friendship and assisted dying told with light comic verve
True gentility is a rarity at the Fringe, usually confused with its ugly cousin whimsy. Yet Goodbye Dandelion, which mixes cabaret songs and kind-hearted storytelling, has it in spades. It centres on Maddie, a rudderless 37-year-old writer searching for meaning in all the wrong places. She meets Darcy, an 87-year-old somewhat cantankerous woman who seems to have figured out a way of life that satisfies her. They meanderingly form a bond, until a decision from Darcy threatens to put an end to their friendship. And so the show’s central preoccupation (namely the current debate about assisted dying) is broken open, unspooling with the touching amble of a mid-2000s indie movie.
Joining Maddie onstage is her brother Marcus, who sits behind a piano tinkling along to the story before interjecting with comical songs or interludes about death. His voice, a smooth cabaret croon with more than a tinge of Rufus Wainwright, acts as a soulful counterpoint to an increasingly powerful story that gives weighty themes a light touch. Richly drawn, Darcy comes to embody an enlightened idea about mortality that holds a palpable resonance with its audience. While its gentle sway descends into a syrupiness every now and again (and that dreaded word whimsy does present itself from time to time), the storytelling here manages many touching, quietly profound moments.
Goodbye Dandelion, Underbelly Cowgate, until 30 August, 4.10pm; picture: Harry Elletson.