Chores

• Kelly Apter
• 9 August 2018

This article is from 2018.

credit: Embellish Photography

Tidying the bedroom was never so much fun

First things first, this is not a quiet show – so if your child doesn't respond well to noise, chaos and general mayhem, go elsewhere. But if an hour of highly physical comedy, incorporating acrobatics, juggling and a machine that projects toilet paper into the audience sounds like fun – and you don't mind a bit of water sprayed in your direction – then Chores is a blast.

Australian circus artists Derek Llewellin and Julian Roberts hardly say a word during the entire show, but they don't need to. The overhead voice of their mother tells us all we need to know: the brothers have to tidy their room, pronto.

But each attempt at gathering up clothes, putting away juggling batons, or straightening the teddies just brings more work, and laughter. Llewellin and Roberts display just the right mix of brotherly love and sibling rivalry, and their panto-esque capers (not spotting the obvious until the children are screaming it at them) endear them to the crowd.

In among the silliness lies real skill, however, whether the duo is juggling, balancing on each other, riding a unicycle or spinning in a Cyr wheel. So go and see them, not least because they've got a lot of toilet paper to buy.

Assembly George Square Gardens, until 26 Aug (not 20), noon, £7–£9.