Theatre review: The Awesome Showthe Space on North Bridge (Venue 36)

What is awesome? This joyfully shambolic interactive show attempts to answer the question by pairing tales of “awesomeness” with the opportunity to experience it yourself – through banging musical instruments, having a food fight, dancing, downing shots and any number of activities someone at some point has defined as “awesome”.

RATING: * * *

A kind of pick-and-mix of the population’s favourite moments, it uses flags and labels such as like “fireworks” and “Swan Lake” as a means for the audience to select scenes that are then performed. Every show is different.

We’re encouraged to give our own definitions of awesomeness throughout, some of which will no doubt be incorporated into future performances. Sometimes awesome means bad, we are told, as in nuclear bombs or the holocaust – but the unstoppably upbeat cast don’t spend too much time on that, preferring to create the high-energy mood of a pre-nightclub get-together.

The arbitrary nature of the piece is part of its appeal but also stops it from reaching the levels of awesomeness that something more considered and developed might achieve. It’s an interesting idea though – and one that won’t disappoint those who like the idea of leaping on to a stage, donning a gold hat and miming “the universe”.

Until 25 August. Today 10:05pm