This warm-hearted, wonderfully silly show opens with Douglas Widick explaining why he’s travelled back in time to kill the Godfather of computing.

The reason? A future ruled by evil AI.

Remember Clippy? (If you were born between 1985 and 1995, you probably do.) The Microsoft Word assistant is now a time-travelling freedom fighter.

What follows is a joyful, chaotic multimedia musical. Widick blends live music, video interaction, and strange storytelling into a fast-paced digital odyssey. The interplay between screen and stage — while sometimes clunky — delivers funny clever moments, with virtual characters popping up to derail, assist, or berate Clippy on his glitchy quest.

Widick’s talents are undeniable — a brilliant singer, improviser, musician and crowd-worker. He conjures a full rap and song based on an audience member’s recent trip to a waterfall and nuptials, gliding through musical genres with ease. You’re in safe (if ridiculous) hands from start to finish.

Where the show falters is in its structure. The central plot never quite deepens, and the surreal gags — some landing, some not — feel locked in. The heavy reliance on pre-filmed video means the show lacks flexibility to evolve, which is a shame, because there’s clearly something very fun being developed here.

Still, it’s all delivered with such charm fun and gusto that you’re happy to go along for the ride. At the climax point, local comedy hero MC Hammersmith, sitting two seats away, was shaking with laughter. As he left, he turned to a friend and said, “That was so fun. What a silly fun show.”

Hard to argue with that.

***1/2

Reviewed by Sharpie

Gilded Balloon Patter House

22.20 (1hr)

Until 25 Aug (not 19)