Adam Larter: The Legend Of Bob Geldof (and other short stories)

Article by Bernard O'Leary | 25 Aug 2011

Imagine an episode of Glee written by Frank Sidebottom, and you'll be about halfway to understanding the whimsical nature of Adam Larter's The Legend Of Bob Geldof.

There are five short stories in this endearing shambles of a show. Most of them are accompanied by crude drawings on an A3 pad (no projector, this is a very lo-fi production) although there are some memorable additions such as The Improv Fish and a puppet show with Danny Zucco and Godzilla. The audience are asked to sing Christmas carol mashups, Animal Farm is rewritten to describe the coalition, and Larter finishes with a full re-enactment of Live Aid, even including Phil Collins' epic transatlantic Concorde journey.

It is all both funnier and sillier than it sounds. Larter is a watchable presence throughout, with the looks of a young John Barrowman and the mannerisms of a senile Frank Spencer, and the sheer volume of his daft ideas is stunning.

Whimsy is very much its own genre and, like most genres, you either love it or you feel like murdering the performer. There are some angry walkouts today but the majority of people leave giddy and smiling, confident that they've just witnessed a very disorganised genius.

Adam Larter: The Legend Of Bob Geldof (and other short stories), Laughing Horse @ The City Cafe, 15:00, Free