Oh My God Particle Show!
by Dahlia Wilde
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose
August 2023
⭐
Oh My God Particle Show! is a new play by Dahlia Wilde that promises a combination of Science and Comedy. We meet Beatrice and her dog Higgsy who embark on a journey to the Large Hadron Collider in search of the mysterious God Particle and perhaps, love.
Such an interesting concept, it is unfortunately not executed well. There was no atmosphere, no fun, no laughs at all. There was a lot of awkward silence and the performer is not an actor - sorry. There was no enthusiasm or charisma, no engaging delivery. Considering the number of absolutely fascinating subjects covered - from the Big Bang, to Dark Matter, to the LHC itself, it was not at all captivating. That barely seems plausible. Perhaps some music or better visual multimedia would help liven things up, but there's no escaping the main issue that the performer had no pep nor rapport with the audience. The delivery felt stilted and awkward.
At numerous times throughout the play, audio of a voice is played off stage. But this often seemed to come as a surprise to the actor who talked over the voice, or who seemed to be on a different page of the script entirely. It was jarring and gave the impression that the piece was not rehearsed, not anywhere near ready for performance. I struggled to follow any cohesive story and it just did not work for me.
There is also the question of who this show is aimed at: Ostensibly a "fun, family-friendly play that will inspire and ignite love for science, in young and old alike", there was child-like voice used to speak with the (stuffed) dog throughout the play that I, as an adult, found became aggravating very quickly. But then the frequent references to Dante Alighieri and his works, and deep questions about love and existence, would surely be lost on a young crowd.
I appreciated the glitter, the sparkly lab coat and the art work with the dog. I appreciate the attempt to do something different and bring some Physics to the Fringe. It's obvious that Dahlia Wilde really knows and loves her science.... But the show was meant to run for 60 minutes; I'm not sure what happened - did she miss something or did she know it wasn't working? Either way, it was done under the 45 minute mark, and the reaction, or lack of, from the bewildered audience said it all.
I am a supporter of the arts and a fan and ally to anyone brave enough to put on a show at the Edinburgh Fringe. I always do my best to be kind and positive. It kills me to write a review like this! But supporter I may be, I'm also a trusted, and honest reviewer. I'm sure Dahlia is lovely and my heart breaks for her to have received such a response. But I cannot recommend this show in it's current format or with it's current cast. It needs some serious re-work.
⭐
When and Where?
Venue: Gilded Balloon, Patter Hoose
Dates: 2 - 27 Aug (not 15)
Time: 17:00 (60 mins)
First review date: 4 Aug
Age Recommendation: 12+
Tickets
Weekday: £11.50 / £10.50
Weekend: £12.50 / £11.50
📸 Photo credit: Lewis MacLeod.
About Dahlia Wilde
Dahlia Wilde; Walt Disney Writing Fellow, New York Foundation for the Arts Playwright, iHEART NEXT
GREAT PODCAST HOST, Truman Scholar from Duke and Oxford, with support from US-ATLAS Large Hadron Collider Education and Outreach presents an EVEN MORE DIVINE COMEDY about love, energy, particle physics and the responsiveness of the universe. The late, great Garry Marshall (creator of Happy Days) directed Dahlia in her previous award-winning one-woman show called “GANGSTA LOVE”.
Dahlia Wilde commented: “There are no dumb questions in particle physics! Beatrice’s optimism and sense for adventure are contagious. Science is incredible - it’s the beginning of everything - especially the Big Bang. And we need everybody putting their heads and hearts together to build a better world. Everyone can do it!”
Oh My God Particle Show! by Dahlia Wilde review, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023
🎟️ Disclosure: I am an Edinburgh Festival Fringe accredited media reviewer and as such I receive complimentary press tickets in exchange for my honest reviews. My reviews and star ratings are always my honest opinions.
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