A Very Crypto Christmas @ McNeill's, Glasgow
Adrenalism's absurdist Christmas comedy delves into the blockchain, the magic of the holidays, and the nature of collaboration
What could be more festive than a blockchain? A lot of things, you may think, but Warren and Stu, the suited hosts of Adrenalism's absurdist comedy A Very Crypto Christmas, are here to teach you that the magic of Christmas and the magic of cryptocurrency are entirely the same. At least Warren tries his best to bring this sincere yet ridiculous message home, whilst his wide-eyed, naive co-host Stu keeps undermining him.
At the door, we are all invited to take some cryptocurrency of our own in the form of a chocolate coin and a giant bouncing rubber chain. The audience are used as props to illustrate the inner workings of the blockchain, but it soon becomes clear that the show is more about the tensions between Warren (Andrew Simpson) and Stu (Lewis Sherlock) than it is about crypto. A Very Crypto Christmas is full of hilarious physical comedy, including a re-staging of The Snowman using an office swivel chair to recreate flying. Music is used to great effect throughout the show, be it pop songs, Christmas showtunes, or the festive karaoke that follows the performance – and ending on karaoke is apt for a production that very much involves its audience throughout.
The heart of the show is the interplay between the hosts, balancing the rising exasperation of Warren, who takes himself far too seriously, with his childlike sidekick Stu, who fails to demonstrate Warren's required level of reverence for crypto or Charles Dickens. Watching their argument crescendo into Tom and Jerry slapstick is magnetic and very funny. The hosts are high-energy and never lose pace; their performance is exciting from beginning to end. A Very Crypto Christmas is truly sublime in its ridiculousness.
A Very Crypto Christmas, McNeill's Bar, Glasgow, run ended
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