one4review | On 14, Aug 2026

Casey Filips opens as a bouncer introducing us before we meet-Mr Filips himself. This seems like it’s going to be a short, light bit just to get the show moving and, to be honest, it develops into one of the funniest character games I’ve ever seen played on a stage this year. I am doubled over laughing.

I already feel – oh cool, I just found a brilliant show that no one knows about.

The game is simple: if you’re fun, the bouncer lets you through to the party. If you’re not, you’re kicked out.

Everything is constantly moving. Real-world information about the audience—the reviewer who’s also a goalkeeper, someone’s birthday—everyone is delighted to be pulled into the game.

Unfortunately for Filips, GDPR laws mean he can’t use the list of audience members coming in. He even makes a joke out of that.

It is a joyful piece which absolutely kills. The entire front row gets the runaround and, from that point on, the show is on rails. We are all in. Everyone is shaking with laughter and having the best time.

Next up is a James Bond-esque character. It’s a polished, intelligent piece with interplay between Filips, the sound desk and the audience. As it develops, it just gets sillier, funnier, funnier and sillier.

Filips is a fantastic performer. He improvises amazingly, he is an adept clown, and the material is strong enough to carry itself. Once he starts weaving in personal details about the crowd, tiny movements and improvisation, he absolutely smashes it out of the park.

The next character is a sound engineer who is really keen to get the job done. This is more of a high-wire act, leaving far more space for improvisation. Essentially, he tries to get us to repeat exactly what we did when he entered the room.

It absolutely kills.

There are snorts of laughter from the front row. Eventually he’s asking for those “little piggies” to be repeated and recorded, and we just cannot stop laughing.

At points, it feels like he’s playing the entire room like a fiddle. Snorts are coming from different directions. People are cackling. People are losing it. He has us completely under his control.

The final character is St Peter, taking us into heaven. There’s a wonderful callback to the opening character, and it’s silly, funny and warm. Again, Filips weaves in actual information he has learned about people throughout the show.

He discovers there’s a reviewer in the room and starts questioning what the review will be—perhaps 3.5 stars, or more? Teasing him perfectly. It’s just too good — and exactly what Filips deserves. This is a meticulously crafted show with just enough space left inside it for this accomplished clown to play.

In terms of crowd work, Filips finds the perfect balance: teasing, funny and warm. His ability to remember an extraordinary number of details about individual audience members and thread them back through the performance is impressive on a purely technical level — before you even consider that he’s absolutely killing while doing it.

I was blown away.

Afterwards, I heard a group of people earnestly thanking their friend for bringing them. That might be the truest indication of a great show: when people are genuinely grateful to the person who suggested it.

I turned to the friend I’d brought and asked:

“What do you think?”

He looked at me as if I was foolish.

“Five stars, of course.”

A hidden gem that everyone has to see!

★★★★★

Reviewed by Stephen “Sharpie” Sharp
Assembly George Square – The Box
Until 30 August (not 18 or 24)
21.50 (1 hour)