one4review | On 21, Aug 2026

Kobolds, for those unfamiliar with nerd lore and, in particular, the tomes of it that deal with Dungeons and/or Dragons are small humanoid creatures often of lizard or dog-like appearance who often end up as the first challenge to a starting adventurer. If you’re still struggling to picture them just imagine goblins. Because they are the same.

In this fantastically fun fantasy show five kobolds find themselves on an epic quest, trying to climb the dastardly tower they live in to get to the top where, they are assured, awaits a treasure beyond their wildest dreams. But they must be careful because each room they enter and door they open is another dastardly puzzle for them to solve and it soon becomes clear that not all of them will make it to the top.

With minimal staging and a wonderful supply of cardboard props, the whole show has the feeling of a make-believe play session with friends, which fits neatly with the DnD origins of the characters. Almost the entire show is performed by the actors in a nonsense language of sounds with the occasional recognisable word thrown in, but you never feel lost as the performers inhabit the little creatures with a wonderful physicality, miming their meaning at every stage, crouching, knuckle walking and hopping around the stage with an infectious delight in their minor mischiefs and mishaps. Honestly it looks like one of the most fun shows to be in I’ve seen for a long time.

The dedication to depicting the kobolds crouched however lead to probably my only gripe as, in a room without tiered seating such as the Coorie at Gilded Balloon Patter House, the cast are often ducking out of sight to anyone but the front row though whether the fault for this can be pointed at the performers or the venue is debatable. As it was, I’m relatively tall and was only in the second row yet there were still parts I missed taking place behind the heads of those in front.

Despite this, though, the show is lovely experience and, while the audience I was in were all adults, I’ve no doubt it would be a great show to see with children, especially those of an imaginative nature.

****
Reviewed by Tom

11:40

5th-31st

Coorie at Gilded Balloon Patter House