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Who wouldn’t want to see “the first ever comedy show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe performed entirely by a horse.”
Then you encounter Emily-Anne “Elf” Lyons, most certainly a clown human standing before you, and wonder, just whom does this filly think she’s fooling? And yet, Lyons ain’t lying. You don’t need to put blinders on to see the truth at the heart of this thrilling show. You just need to know that the basis for all of my descriptive wordplay here is the word play.
In an essay for The Scotsman last week, Lyons wrote about the importance of play. “Everyone has the right to play, everyone has the right to relearn the beauty of laughing with themselves and with others. The world would be better if we played more.” Lyons earned a Best Show nomination in 2017 for “Swan,” her clowning rendition of Swan Lake. But as silly and surreal as “Horses” may seem, this hour is a deeply personal affair for Lyons. For every portrayal of Pegasus or Seabiscuit, there are more detailed scenes involving a dressage horse and other four-legged creatures, spelled-out in audio interviews Lyons recorded and now lip syncs to, and which the audience eventually comes to learn are hitting as close to home as for Lyons as it is for us.
Lyons cracks on early in the hour about past reviews of her looks and commercial viability, as well as her agent’s fears about Lyons presenting this show. Those fears are thankfully unfounded.
The only thing you may fear is a regret if you booked any other shows later at night following “Horses,” because you’ll probably find yourselves wishing you could stick around to play with Lyons instead. “Horses” begs us to rediscover our childhood love of play, and clears the bar with ease.
Elf Lyons: “Horses” plays at Pleasance Courtyard during the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe
