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Lt Love Dr's Boot Camp for Lonely People like You

 
Ross Anthony Review by Ross Anthony 4 Published: 28 Aug 2025 Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower Show Dates: 11 Aug 2025-24 Aug 2025

I first saw Chloe Matonis as Lieutenant Love Dr Hotty McTotty at Broken Planet, one of my favourite shows of the entire Fringe. She gave a compelling five-minute segment in the rotating cast of the late-night cabaret, but I had no idea how that would translate to an hour-long show.

This kind of show is the beating heart of Fringe comedy

Suffice to say, Hotty McTotty delivers in spades. Or perhaps hearts, based on the shades, badges and general vibe of the show.

The performance operates under the premise of being a futuristic super soldier sent back from the year 2075 on a mission to revive human connection and stop the loneliness epidemic. Lt Love Dr's Boot Camp for Lonely People Like You is a show about bad dates, slightly awkward interactions, and a great deal of heart. Chloe Matonis is a compelling performer who brings a mostly eager performance with just a mite of vulnerability to her role. The performance feels part game show, part boot camp, which had everyone shouting, "Love, yes, Love!" in response to instructions.

This kind of show is the beating heart of Fringe comedy. It is zany, out there, and you have to engage with it if you want to have fun. There are also pearls of wisdom here and practical skills – sort of. The whole show is interspersed with great crowd work and a running discourse from the good Lieutenant Doctor so that everyone stayed comfortable. Highlights included speed dating, with a failsafe against incest built in, and first dates for some of the audience.

There’s also just a mite of satire baked into the sci-fi, with digs taken at being on one’s phone too much, difficulty with eye contact, and outdoor time restricted to walking one’s Roomba for enrichment. This feels like a solid performance. Matonis is excellent at character work, and I think I wound up as a hand-touching fiend by the end.

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The Blurb:

Lt Love Dr Hotty McTotty has come to us from the year 2075 on a mission to revive human connection and stop the loneliness epidemic... before it's too late. Your commanding but charming host will lead drills including (but not limited to): small talk, eye contact, flirting and throwing your phone in the lake. This highly interactive comedy show challenges today's digital-first culture and reminds us of what it means to be human again, if only for a night. A harrowing message full of fun, humour and heart!