Adam Larter plays Sir Dance-a-lot, one of the Boogie Knights who has been exiled from a land where disco lovers are persecuted, and where rock ‘n roll and the evil King Gary now rule. However, Sir Dance-a-lot realises that the Boogie Knights are destined to return to the Kingdom and that as a result, King Gary must be killed. He sets out to fulfill this quest, taking us along with him on his journey.
Larter has created a barmy and silly show that will get you in the mood for the Fringe very nicely indeed
The show is fairly chaotic, with actors running around slipping in and out of role and this is part of the fun which enables the audience to relax and enjoy the silliness. Larter uses a variety of non-conventional props, for example a cardboard cut-out of a horse that is galloped across the stage. These props help to deliver the story and are funny in their own right, sometimes eliciting groans from the audience, but also signposting the way through the at-times nonsensical and tenuous plot.
The show is peppered with funny one-liners and disco related puns - my favourite being ‘this is the winter of our discotheque’, delivered charmingly by Larter. Other barmy characters are played by Helen Duff and Sam Nicoresi. Duff shows her versatility playing a multitude of roles such as The Spirit of the Boogie, a stroppy Princess and the dastardly King Gary. Nicoresi’s character of Arthur is reminiscent of Hugh Laurie’s Prince in Blackadder. He masters the portrayal of the upper class buffoon to perfection, and has excellent comic timing throughout. There were other guest characters who appeared during the show which brought additional laughs - but no spoilers!
The musical score of the show was mostly disco based, and disco dancing when it happened was fun. I assume it was a choice to make the dancing deliberately average, but I was secretly hoping for some jaw dropping disco moves as the show moved toward its finale. Larter has created a barmy and silly show that will get you in the mood for the Fringe very nicely indeed.
