As an avid table-top gamer I enjoy anything, be it a TV Show, film or stage show that brings my favourite past-time off my table and into the mainstream.
There are a couple of role-play/DnD stage shows out there that I have seen in recent years: Paul Flannery's 'MMORPG show' & 'Questing Time' and now I have discovered 'RPG Quest Show'.
'MMORPG' relies on audience members to volunteer to be the characters (and features an awesome giant, glow-in-the-dark D20) and 'Questing Time' is more of an episodic, long-form night featuring excellent comedians with full DnD character sheets (and often fancy dress). 'RPG Quest Show' describes itself as a cross between 'Who's Line is it Anyway' and 'Dungeons and Dragons' and I'm gutted that description is already out there before I wrote this review because it's so darn accurate! The quick, hilarious improv-game-like structure and the intelligent, in-depth narratives of DnD, makes 'RPG Quest Show' every fan of comedy and roleplaying games' dreams come true.
This particular show was hosted by Vicky Hawley, a seasoned improviser, director and comedian, not to mention Dungeon Master extraordinaire, as, as she told us in her charming but perfect high-fantasy-drama-realness intro, the creator and usual host Dan Simpson was in Abu Dhabi. Vicky Hawley was a deliciously warm, funny and intelligent host; the perfect person you'd want to spend your Monday night in a warm Camden pub (sorry, tavern) with. Bedecked in a pride-flag DnD logo tee and sipping from a metal tankard throughout the night, like the queer, badass hero we all need, she co-captained Dan's ship so expertly the regulars, (and there are definitely RPG Quest Show regulars!) were so on-board they, literally, helped bring to life the hilarious 'Shiver Me Timbers, It's Dracula!' quest by enthusiastically providing sound-effects unprompted. It was brilliant! Yours truly got to 'play' Dracula from my seat by means of having drawn the Joker card on my way back in after the interval and enjoyed getting to join in momentarily as the villain to throw curve-balls for the cast of comedians to dodge. (Sorry for turning you into a vampire bat Sasha!)
The cast were comedians Sasha Ellen, Richard Soames, and Andy Onions who each played an array of brilliant, hilarious and clever characters through the various different games. Andy used a paper fortune teller to establish which character he'd play and on the final game, where the team helped an RPG virgin from the audience pop their DnD cherry, Sasha was excellent at devising bonkers ways the audience member had to determine their next move. A highlight was challenging, and beating, poor Richard in an arm-wrestle whilst he wore his hand-made Dunce-like hat (the creation from a fun Blue-Peter-worthy interval game).
Much like Improv there were brilliant, spontaneous comedy gifts throughout the night that I was thinking about long after I returned home. My personal favourites included the on-going want & side-quests from Andy for Frog-Man suits in each game and character he played, Sasha's adamant, confidence she wanted to obtain Sonar... to then realise after she got it she had meant heat-vision goggles all along and Richard's brilliant German pirate whilst wearing his 'here's one I made in the interval' paper, conical hat. Oh and of course, Mr Blobby (in the ship's hull) being Dracula's one true desire. Because, duh!
'RPG Quest Show' is an absolute cult classic that I can't wait to come back and see, again and again.
Addictive, nerdy comedy gold that rolls a natural 20.
Cost of ticket: £5 (+£1 processing fee)
Venue: Camden Head Pub, Camden High Street - Camden Comedy Club
Accessibility: 2 small flights of stairs, no wheelchair access from what I could see.
Comfortability: Standard, cushioned plastic chair in rows. Small raised stage in intimate, but not squashed, pub room: good visibility of stage.
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