[Review] The Dentist’s Chair
Mime, Comedy, Magic and 250 snippets of music. While El Loco (played by Wayne Slater) never speaks throughout this entire show, the emotional range of playing tunes from Tony Blackburn to Europe’s Final Countdown drives this comedy forwards. Some people may think that standing up and improvising your comedy is a difficult skill. But having your whole show to musical cues has an even greater sense of danger. Will he loose his place, what happens if he drops something- oh my god the radio just exploded.
So within a few minutes the audience know exactly what to expect. Pretty much anything. A recurring joke with a dead budgie that refuses to be incarnated; Plenty of pyrotechnics to keep the firebugs happy; a perfectly pitched tribute to Tommy Cooper (although because of the act, there’s no mention of ‘glass, bottle, bottle, glass); And the macabre Dentist’s Chair of the title ensures a little shop of horrors cameo from Steve Martin makes it to Edinburgh.
A great show for kids, adults and grandparents, the humour is more family based than your average show, but nevertheless just as effective. Unusual enough to be different, but familiar enough to make it worthwhile. Recommended.
Who: The Dentist’s Chair.
Where: The Zoo.
When: 1800-1850, 11th to 27th (not 14th) August
