Lamphouse Theatre’s Newest Comedy Adventure
Freshly back from their whirlwind UK tour featuring the groundbreaking (read: budget-friendly) Frankenstein (On a Budget), Lamphouse Theatre is set to dazzle audiences at Bristol’s Wardrobe Theatre from September 2nd to 6th with their latest comedic pièce de résistance: Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Yes, you heard that right—Journey to a subterranean realm of hilarity and questionable physics.
This time, the beloved comedic duo of Tom Fox and Becky Owen-Fisher (who seem to have stockpiled an impressive collection of cardboard) will take a light-hearted jab at Brendan Fraser’s cinematic adventures. They’ll even sprinkle in nostalgic nods to Rick Wakeman’s concept album, while attempting to pay fleeting respect to the classic work of Jules Verne. Spoiler alert: the respect might come in the form of a poorly drawn stick figure or two.
Constructed entirely from cardboard, this version of one of literature’s most epic adventures promises a bellyful of laughs. Featuring two clueless explorers, one ludicrously impossible mission (hint: it involves a big hole and a catastrophe waiting to happen), and a budget for special effects that’s more “pocket change” than “Hollywood blockbuster.” What could possibly go awry? Perhaps everything, but that’s the beauty of it!
Journey to the Centre of the Earth serves as the ideal escapade for anyone with a taste for comedy, music lovers, families with older children, and students looking for some light-hearted hilarity amidst the existential dread of adulting. Because, let’s face it, nothing says “I escaped my responsibilities” quite like laughing at absurdity, preferably while munching on overpriced popcorn.
Image – JTCE Wardrobe Theatre
As producer Becky Owen-Fisher eloquently stated, “Journey to the Centre of the Earth is the perfect remedy for the post-summer work slump. Filled with Lamphouse’s signature absurdity, effective miscommunication, suspiciously silly songs, and the world’s least impressive dinosaurs*, it’s an unmissable experience!”
*Seriously, they’re about as impressive as a toddler’s crayon drawing.
So please, take a moment to appreciate how we’ve been graced with such talents as Rick Wakeman and Brendan Fraser—oh wait, don’t take too long; Lamphouse is about to embark on their journey, and you’ll want a front-row seat to experience the charm! Or at least the cardboard charm.
If their previous show, Frankenstein (On a Budget), which garnered a constellation of five-star reviews from the Edinburgh Fringe, is anything to go by, this adventure will be no less than a comedic triumph. Comedian Dara Ó Briain himself proclaimed it a “small gem,” and who are we to argue with an expert?
“So funny! So clever! So good!” remarked Musical Talk, while Theatre Scotland described it as a “comedic triumph.” It seems the critics can’t get enough of Lamphouse’s absurd yet delightful antics—granted, we suspect they may have received some budget-friendly tickets in return for their glowing reviews.
