THE BEAN COUNTER La Bohème Until 18 Feb 2018 Review by Luke Wagner “The Bean Counter” is a quirky blend of circus-style clowning and awkward humour that blends seamlessly together. Alice Mary Cooper is the brainchild and star of this hilarious piece of theatre. Cooper arrives onstage in a bold red suit with a clown nose. In the style of Mary Poppins, she pulls a range of obscure items out of her leather bag which have nothing to do with her role as official counter for the Adelaide Jelly Bean Counting Competition. This show includes lots of audience participation and keeps the whole audience in their toes from start to finish. When audience members throw jokes back, Cooper embraces it and plays along with professionalism, humour and ease. This show is short and sharp with a running time of approximately 40 minutes. It is simple, colourful and effective. The concept of someone counting jelly beans seems like a mundane activity but this show hooks you in. This show would be a massive hit with younger audiences but this is slightly inhibited by its La Bohème venue; however, in Fringe season, kids of all ages can enjoy a fun piece of theatre. Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)