The Silliad: Improvised Myths and Legends, performed by James Haikney, Alex Hiscock and Zack Sizer is a remarkably ingenious show.
The idea is simple. First, at the beginning of each show, everybody in the audience must think about one of the big, burning questions of life they always desired to know, such as ‘Who sent the rains down in Africa?’ or ‘Why are polar bears white?’ or ‘Why don’t unicorns exist anymore?’. Then, through democracy (meaning, who can shout the loudest with the loudness of screaming) the crowd can decide if they want to hear a Greek, a Norse, or an Egyptian myth. Finally, the last thing left for the audience to decide is where the legend should take place, which can be literally anything from a space station, through a scout-campsite to Waitrose. With all this set, the three comedians are ready to give you the perfect improvised myth to answer everything about the question.
Haikney, Hiscock and Sizer are three extremely skilled comedians with a razor-sharp wit and amazing rapport. They adapt in a second to any situation. They play multiple characters in each show, personifying cliché-breakers from Tesco managers in Asgard and DPD messenger snow goblins to Loki, Poseidon and Isis. It is rare that the comedians get confused in a certain situation or forget about a previous storyline, but almost always they come out of it triumphantly, playing along with the awkwardness of the situation, smoothly putting the show’s flow back on track.
The cave-like setting of the venue adds an extra dimension to the show, the stage lit with a purple, yellow and green glow in the dark, shaken by the echoing sound of lightning, emergency calls or cow moans. Hannah Sayles, the group’s technician, plays an incredible role in making the experience even more atmospheric, striking with lights, sounds and music, completely improvising, following or dictating the lead of the show.
The Silliad is one of the most hilarious, unique and sweet shows a person can watch in the Fringe. The comedians demonstrate a truly impressive knowledge of mythology, there is no question that scares them and what they cannot tell through the mightiest heroes and beasts mankind ever knew.
The Silliad: Improvised Myths and Legends is playing at The Caves, Just The Tonic (Venue 88)
12:50, until August 11th
Get tickets here
Image: James Haikney