Presented by Dado
Reviewed 14 February 2015
Enter the world of Dado!
You’ve probably seen him wandering, hunchbacked with a suitcase full of tricks around the Adelaide Fringe before, delighting kids with his absurd brand of physical and prop comedy. Dado returns this year with the original and off-beat Oddball.
The globe-treading performer with a heart of gold and a beautiful shiny head warms up the audience (which actually consisted mainly of adults) with a few quick balloon tricks and a slightly raunchy gag, before inviting kids up on stage to perform with him and accept expertly made balloon animals. You can expect a bit of standard, fringe clown fair from Oddball, but also a lot of hilarious improvisation, quick wit and even death-defying stunts performed with a crossbow.
What makes Dado’s performance so great is his irresistible charm. The squeaky-voiced hunchback character may be a bit creepy in a way, but remains on the endearing side of the fence. His quirky buffoonery turns pretty cliché tricks (such as swallowing a balloon or making balls appear from nowhere) into fascinating and memorable little moments of childish delight.
Perhaps the highlight of the performance on the sweltering 14th of February was the appearance of a young lad invited up on stage to act with Dado. Despite his best attempts to teach the boy to follow directions, Dado just couldn’t get him to do what was required of him. Everyone had fun though, especially the surprise guest, it seemed.
If there’s anything you can learn from Oddball it is that preparing for a Fringe show is likely going to be fruitless to some extent. Things happen randomly and often to the surprise of the performers themselves. But it is these moments that make shows like this special.
Reviewed by James Rudd
Rating out of 5: 2
Venue: La Petite Grande, Gluttony – Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka, Cnr East Tce and Rundle St
Season: 14 February – 15 March 2015
Duration: 40 mins
Tickets: $18.00 – $20.00, $63.00 for family
Bookings: Book through FringeTix online or at a FringeTix box office (booking fees apply)
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