by ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Edinburgh’s Best Newcomer winner with “LAID” in 2017, Natalie Palamides’s follow-up, “NATE,” eventually made its way to Netflix as a special presented by Amy Poehler. The first special took the school project of projecting motherhood through practicing maternal instincts with eggs to clownish heights. Her second special showed us just how foolish toxic masculinity can be. If this be a trilogy, then “WEER” is her most thrilling, triumphant conclusion.
As the photo magic (by Van Corona) illustrates, Palamides in this hour-plus portrays both sides of the tragically comedic romance between Mark and Christina, from their meet-cute to their bitter end, flashing forward and backward in time to re-encat first dalliances, first fights, and breakups galore. All set in the late 1990s, culminating at a Y2K New Year’s Eve party in a cabin in the woods, all of which allows for some delightfully relevant musical cues.
Palamides, a darling of the Los Angeles clown scene, goes balls out. Sometimes most literally, which if you’ve seen her perform before, is to be expected. And yet this feels like her most daring work yet. “WEER” has such an ambitious scope and intricate staging, all tied to a singularly simple yet diabolically difficult premise to pull off physically. Even when audience interaction or the tech goes off the rails, Palamides rolls with it or roils against it, as need be. Perhaps the only real area for improvement is in the sound design, as her voice sometimes gets drowned out by the score/soundtrack. Even if you gave her a hands-free mic, I’m not sure how it’d stay on her head what with all of the wig and costume changes, not to mention her physicality. I’m sure they’ll figure out the right balance as the run continues. If you already have a ticket or manage to snag one of the few remaining seats (it’s mostly sold out), I’d also suggest audience members block out the rest of their night for Palamides. There’s just so much to behold here, and I’m not sure anything you’d intend to see afterward could possibly top Palamides. Except perhaps Palamides herself.
Natalie Palamides “WEER” plays at Traverse Theatre during the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe
