The Dark Room – Gilded Balloon Patterhoose Doonstairs
Created by Australian comedian John Robertson in 2012 as part of a stand-up routine about videogames, "The Dark Room" has become an international touring sensation. Inspired by the text based video games of the 1980s, the show encourages the audience to choose their own adventure - which inevitably results in failure. It's a simple but effective idea, and one which has gathered a troupe of ardent followers, all called Darren. The audience gleefully chant "Ya Die, Ya Die, Ya Die" as each player fails, before they are gifted a suitably ridiculous consolation prize.
The whole show plays out appropriately in the dark, with John lit from below by a hand held torch. Wearing a leather corset and a huge spiked shoulder piece, he bears more than a passing resemblance to a young Richard O'Bri...