one4review | On 20, Aug 2024

Let’s set the scene.

The audience have arrived to watch the opening performance of the extremely serious and earnest performance of the equally earnest and serious play The Worrisome Troubles of Timothy Potts. However, this script was stolen and the original playwright has broken out of prison to come see the performance. Unhappy with what he sees he takes the performers and the audience hostage until they can get it done properly.

It’s immediately an exciting and electric premise for a show, especially when you know that audience participation is going to feature heavily. I wasn’t sure what to expect, whether audience members might be dragged onstage at Chekhov’s gun-point and forced to participate at any moment. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your preference, that didn’t happen and in fact the show relied as heavily on clowning and banter between the three performers on stage as it did any of the audience participation, none of which was particularly cringe-inducing. The jokes are good and the actors funny and despite the bellicose premise, the tone leans more towards the wacky than the serious.

The show does lack a little bit of tightness, certain scenes feel a bit long, the sillier tone undercuts the few more serious moments and it’s at points hard to differentiate which parts are improv and which are just a little loose.

If you are interested in seeing this show I’d advise you take a few friends and go fully willing to muck in and participate as this type of show really shines with a cooperative audience but can drag a little when no-one wants to get involved.

****
Reviewed by Tom
Gilded Balloon Patter House – Nip
19.00 (1hr)
Until 26th August