You’ve just received the news that the capital has been struck by a horde of flesh-eating limb draggers, with the power to infect and eradicate the human race from existence. The streets are littered with dead bodies, abandoned cars and ransacked ambulances, whilst the supermarkets have become a jam packed haven for the panic driven, self-preservationist mob. The radio informs you that this is the doomsday we have all been waiting for, whilst you discover your best friend trying to gnaw your leg off. What do you do? Run a bath, grab a Bud and wait for the Big Bang Theory to come on - or so Dan Willis would have us believe. A free fringe venue show, The Walking Dead brings you all the tips and know-how to survive in the event of a zombie apocalypse. Told through a mixture of horror and humour, Willis’ set takes the form of a discussion of any possible scenario of how this travesty could occur. The Australian based comedian makes use of a well-prepared slideshow to make sure all zombie lovers feel right at home with this in depth exploration of zombie mania, focusing extensively upon The Walking Dead, 28 Days Later and I Am Legend. Need more incentive? How about a free badge which says ‘I’m just food’?
Dan Willis’ bizarre take on the eventuality of a zombie invasion might be described as ‘slow moving, still coming’. Moving at a zombie-esque pace, The Walking Dead is a show which goes off the rails a bit more often than necessary to amuse the audience. Much of the comedy relies heavily upon long-winded anecdotes including proposing to your fiancé whilst she farts red wine in your face. Is this relevant to a zombie apocalypse? Surprisingly yes, though these digressions, whilst amusing, become a tiresome recurrence that rely heavily upon the audience more than zombies at points. Nevertheless, The Walking Dead reconciles its structural ineptitude with a plurality of pop culture in-jokes, including ways to avoid Keith Richards at night, having Gordon Ramsay as a maniac for hire in a zombie survival squad and using Justin Bieber as zombie bait. So if you’re in the mood for comedy-horror, enjoy the idea of using Peaches Geldof as a human shield, or just like watching a good heckling at the expense of some 13 year old Call of Duty fans, The Walking Dead will provide you with all the ways to survive the zombie apocalypse when those crazy critters start biting.
