Quiz Nightmare

Apart from doing the pub quiz down my local, Sir James is a secret performance artist. Relocating his mixture of multiple choice and rambling anecdotes to the Tron’s Victoria Bar, The Quiz Show revitalises the drinks plus questions format with a side-order of comedy and pathos. Sir James is caught somewhere between tragic victim and Alan Partridge, and if the tome is uneven, this is a brave attempt to bring theatre into the audience.

At only forty-five minutes long, and with the bar open throughout, The Quiz Show offers multiple choice answers rather than an in-depth, gruelling examination of heartbreak. James tells his funny stories, gradually unveiling his tale of woe and reflecting on the ironies of his questions - which lead him back, via the power-point presentation – to his twisted memories. The finale suggests that James is trying to get across a serious point, but he never really breaks the brittle shell: there is no real sense of anguish, and the jokes keep rolling.

Then again, there are real prizes, Sir James is a good quizmaster with some sharp lines and the ability to hold the room’s attention. Even the use of the back bar is inspired. If the plot gets distracting, it is easy enough to have a chat without breaking the spell of performance. This is a strong attempt to mess with theatrical form, and an interesting idea about relationships struggling to express itself.