Worth seeing:

as a fast-paced, quick-witted improvised show with plenty of audience participation

Cast:	Lee Hithersay, Rob Rhys Bond, Oliver Wilson
Director:	Mark Smith
Writers:	Lee Hithersay, Oliver Wilson, Rob Rhys Bond, The audience
Theatre:	Arts Depot Finchley
Dates:	Reviewed on 15th June 2025 and touring to mid October

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

With the help of their cardboard props, whacky wigs, crazy costumes and prompts from the audience, two eccentric professors deliver a history lecture that creates three new myths.

First, they explain the etymology of a local place-name. Next, they examine the invention of an interesting object. Finally, they consider the origin story of mythical hero.

WHAT’S IT LIKE?

Over the course of an hour, two members of the Rubbish Shakespeare Company work with their audience of children and parents – and their musical side-kick – to make up stories about supposedly well-known people, places and things – stories that are as wild as the prompts the initially unsuspecting audience members come up with.

Inviting children up on stage to help them make up the myths, the show is limited only by the wild imaginations of the audience – and the peculiar items they happen to have in their pockets – meaning that no two shows will be the same.

There might, perhaps be similarities, as the cardboard props – such as Thor’s sword – are sure to be worked into whatever stories they try to tell, while you might find that they mishear a place-name – perhaps on purpose – so that they can use a name they might have previously explored or one that’s more fertile for jokes – and there are times where the improvisation feels a little forced, as if they’re trying to get themselves back onto a tried and tested path.

While the fun, family-friendly show is clearly aimed very much at the children, at this performance, the cast managed to sneak a couple of grown-up jokes into their adlibs, that satisfied the adults while flying safely over the heads of the youngsters.

With an irreverent nod to quirky educators, in a style that wouldn’t be out of place in an episode of Horrible Histories,  the Story Forge challenges the imagination and creativity of audience members, who become bolder as the show goes on and they realise what’s on.