If anyone knows little about Martin Dockery and this performance beforehand, a Fringe-goer can be forgiven for being a little unprepared for the chaos and tumult that is Martin Dockery and his one man show. Unlike many similar shows, little time was wasted on introductory comments, explanations or quips. Instead, Martin launched head-first into a detailed and comedic description of travelling through Sahara to Timbuktu with a Belgian couple, a tale that, even as an opener, provoked genuine and loud giggles from the audience.
Much of this may be attributed to the surprise at Dockery's chosen mode of delivery: a break-neck and sometimes headache-inducing sprint through events across borders and time zones. This provides us with significant insight into his West African odyssey - the speed allows a great deal of ground to be covered - ranging from sticky situations in African villages to the expulsion of bodily fluids on public transport. Dockery only paused for breath while taking a sip of water, granting the audience some time and respite to mentally catch up.
At times the sheer speed of both Dockery's storytelling and delivery were overwhelming and resulted in a certain degree of audience confusion. On a couple of occasions I found myself bewildered at the laughing audience members around me, having missed a garbled punchline.
Despite this, the show was undoubtedly humorous; a scarily accurate goat impression and rocket-propelled vomit were my personal favourites, both of which produced loud and sincere laughs among audience members. This rambling, yet detailed and self-aware, account of one man's journey to find meaning and 'truth in the dirt' sets out to entertain, and in that vein it is successful. Not a show to be experienced with a hangover, this show could be considered an acquired taste. However, for Fringe-goers seeking something different this show is definitely one worth considering.
