YIPPEE KI YAY (the parody celebration of Die Hard) at the Lighthouse Poole Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Mel S-W
Yippee Ki Yay… a gag from Bruce Willis that was expected to be cut from the film and ended up becoming an iconic and recognisable catchphrase for one of the greatest (Christmas) movies of all time… Die Hard. The original film had an acting cast of hundreds, if not thousands but for one night only at Lighthouse Poole… we were in for something a little different. .
Entering the theatre to take our seats, we were greeted with suspenseful music. The staging, a single high white chair sat centre stage, highlighted by a sole spotlight. The audience was quite eagerly awaiting the start of the show, and although the theatre wasn’t full, there was a sense of excitement with pockets of excited chatter before the show began.
Richard entered the stage and treated us to a poetic and rhythmic jaunt through the world of Die Hard. With the use of clever lighting and some very amusing props (and apparently very tasty props if you happen to buy seats in the front row!) We were also shown how Richard and his wife Jen’s love of Die Hard had shaped their relationships and seen them through the highs and the lows.
I don’t really know what I was expecting … I knew that it was a one man show, written and performed by Richard Marsh and directed by Hal Chambers. The show has phenomenal reviews so it definitely seemed like one of those not to be missed.
You know the story …When gunmen seize an LA skyscraper, off-duty policeman John McClane is the hostages’ only hope. I thoroughly enjoyed this uplifting action packed rhyming (and slightly unauthorised parody) that celebrates the iconic 80s festive favourite.
Yes this was a one man show, and an absolute credit to Richard for writing, performing all’ll of the characters, creating all of the accents and mannerisms on the stage alone. The use of some very clever props had the audience laughing away, not just because of the utter absurdity of the way they were used but how they just worked and worked really well! The lighting also was extremely clever, changing depending upon the situation and also simulated a very good gun fight.
I thought it was very different to anything that I’ve seen before and would definitely recommend to any other die hard Die Hard fans. I would say though, having knowledge of the film is an advantage to make sure you understand some of the references. I particularly loved the references to Alan Rickman films and impressions of Severus Snape and the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Following a critically acclaimed UK tour and two Edinburgh Festival Fringe seasons, Richard Marsh’s acclaimed rhyming retelling of classic film Die Hard. You can recognise the shows that have increased in popularity since appearing at Edinburgh Fringe as they are just a little bit different and quirkier. It’s great to see these types of shows coming to Lighthouse, giving us the opportunity to see something alternative.
I would rate this 4 out of 5. It made me laugh, it was different and it was very cleverly done.
Tickets started from £22.50. Find out what else is coming up at Lighthouse by checking out their website https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/whats-on/ or calling the Box Office on 01202 280000.
The full address is Lighthouse, Arts and Entertainment, 21 Kingland Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1UG
Rating: 4/5