Dan Bergin’s Fused achieves that which seems almost impossible – a show that relies almost entirely on improvisation, audience participation and interactivity, but which is also completely non-intimidating to even the least initiated theatre goer.  At the beginning of the performance we are introduced to Ste – a video game character who must complete a series of missions under instruction from a group of selected audience members who hold the “controls”.

The premise is clever, and although inspired by the now dated '90’s “Point and Click” game, is sure to appeal to the social media obsessed generation who love a platform on which to share their opinions and have their voices heard.  Zia Holly’s set is cartoonish, suggestive of the unsophisticated innocence of the early gaming era the show places itself in.  Stark white cardboard boxes are easily transformed to create the different scenes, or levels in game speak, as the cast of characters are guided through various challenges by the 12 lucky audience members chosen at random.

While much of the appeal of Fused lies in this daring aspect of the show, it is also its Achilles Heel; on any given night the cast could either be at the whim of a group of livewire imaginative audience members or, as was the case on this particular evening, be led by a collection of theatre goers still half asleep from a long day at the office.  However, to maintain a certain level of spontaneity this is an unavoidable hazard, and Bergin’s script, delivered by a cast of superb comic actors, has enough sure fire laughs to make up it. 

Star rating: ★★★★