It’s unclear for a good quarter of the show what Horne is up to. All we know is that it involves audience members, ladders, planks of wood and objects bought from Wickes. Horne gradually builds personal belongings into the contraption; each revealing a story about Horne’s life. There’s the bath he and his best friend use to bathe in at a tender age. There are gifts from his father, and toys stolen from his son. We feel the intergenerational nature of this symbolic machine as it grows ever more adorned. His conversational narration never halts as he attaches things, tests angles, and runs about the stage collecting objects and enlists help. What on earth is he up to!?
This performance is packed with delightful surprises and pleasurable insights into Horne’s life. A frenetic; dastardly clever, brilliant and unique hour of child-like magic.
Horne might look dapper in this suit and neat haircut but he has not lost a sense of childhood wonder and playfulness in his adult age.The suspense builds in the room as Horne reveals exactly what he is up to – which I will not reveal here so you too can enjoy the surprise. Let me just say that the climax is epic and thoroughly satisfying; this particular night was met with a standing ovation.
There’s nothing gimmicky about this performance; Horne is a brilliant comedian in his own right. A fantastic wordsmith; a storyteller, an Everyman, and a punster, all he really needs to elicit guffaws from the assembled is a microphone and their attention. Everything else in this show is just a giant pleasing bonus. That Horne has decided to undertake this giant and dangerous challenge gives all the more credit to him.
This performance is packed with delightful surprises and pleasurable insights into Horne’s life. A frenetic; dastardly clever, brilliant and unique hour of child-like magic. I can’t recommend this show highly enough. My pick of the Fringe thus far.
