The Twenty Sided Tavern – Pleasance Dome

There are very few shows quite like the Twenty Sided Tavern, a choose your own adventure for theatre goers and dungeons and dragons fans alike. Step into the game with your own selected dice picked blindly from a bag determining your designated player. Are you a Fighter, a sorcerer or a Rogue? Either way you are in for a treat.

Three professional improvisation artists take to the stage bringing the crazy world of Dungeons and Dragons to a live audience, determining their character’s movements with a combination of audience choice and the spin of the twenty sided dice. They are silly, bold and utterly hilarious. Guiding the gang is the “Game Master”, the dungeon master of the game.

If you choose to embark on this quest adventurer, be prepared to use your mobile phone. Upon arrival you must scan a QR code which will give you access to the game so you can make decisions. Not only can you choose your character’s course of action, but you will also have to partake in mini games and riddles.

The whole experience is expertly lead offering a fun and somewhat relaxed environment for enjoyment. The characters chosen each performance will be different due to audience’s choices, but every actor played their role wittingly, aided by silly costumes and props.

The game is easy to understand and see even if you’ve never played D&D before so don’t let that deter you. The Game Master guides the audience through the game and rules smoothly and all stats are displayed via projection.

Audience participation is unavoidable and be prepared to talk to your peers around you to solve fun riddles and puzzles. I shan’t spoil too much though of course, but like any game of D&D all leads up to an ultimate boss battle.

This is not just a theatre performance, this is an escape room like experience built for enjoyment and joy, and certainly an experience I will not forget for a good while.

Twenty Sided Tavern plays at Pleasance Dome until 28th August every day at 4:30pm, https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on#q=20%20sided%20tavern

Reviewer: Beth Eltringham

Reviewed: 17th August 2022

North West End UK Rating: ★★★★★