Review: MANBO, The Wardrobe Theatre – ‘Joyful, fun and a must-see’

The eighties were chock full of excessive action movies. Schwarzenegger dominated our screens in Terminator, Predator and Commando but in 1982 the landscape changed forever when First Blood was released, introducing the world at large to John Rambo.

Played by Sylvester Stallone, Rambo is a veteran of the Vietnam War, forced back into action. Stallone quickly cemented the character as a man of high strength and stamina, an expert in survival and combat who solves all problems with aggression and violence.

And from Rambo, now comes Sam Dugmore’s MANBO.

MANBO – image: Sam Dugmore

Dugmore as Colonel Man Syndrome stands at the door on arrival, dressed in a camo jacket, matching cap, aviators and holding a large bucket, handing out a colourful plastic ball to everybody, an enticing promise for later on…

As the real show begins, Dugmore launches into a barrage of characters, easily switching between Manbo, his friend the Colonel and the evil Russian villain, using a parade of props and costumes to distinguish between them.

Lampooning the eighties movies from which he’s drawn inspiration, MANBO covers everything you can expect from an action film: a gritty hero trying to adjust to life, a tragic incident in his past haunting him, being drawn back to a world of action, a fitness montage, a nameless love interest and, of course, plenty of gunfire and epic explosions.

All these elements have been gleefully picked apart to maximise the comedic value. The fitness montage is set to Bonnie Tyler’s Holding Out For A Hero and features both performance-enhancing drugs and a vogueing performance.

A skydive into Afghanistan utilises a small leaf blower, an action man doll and an introspective chat with a deceased best friend while falling. And Manbo tries to impress a lady by violently slaughtering a moose, soundtracked to Hero by Enrique Inglesias, offering her the heart as a token of his love.

Audience participation is encouraged in this show, and you can tell that whatever might be thrown his way, Dugmore isn’t in the slightest bit phased by it. At one point the audience is even thrust into the action directly, with both ‘Contact Woman’ and ‘Henchman Boris’ attacking their roles with gusto. And while his ‘Deceased Best Friend’ was less willing to take part, Dugmore still managed to coax plenty of laughs out of him.

What impressed me a lot about the show was the physicality embodied by the lead. The production feels loose and interactive, but at the same time, you can tell that every flex and thrust has been carefully planned to let us into the mind of Manbo.

The mime aspect of the performance is incredibly well done, allowing us to fall in love with Manbo’s dog and believe we are everywhere from a sweaty gym to a Russian Complex high on a hill.

The performance wraps up with the audience as an evil Russian army pelting the character of Manbo with plastic balls as he desperately fights back with a pool noodle, and if that doesn’t summarise the performance, I don’t know what will.

MANBO is playing until April 29, and is a definite must-see!

MANBO (age recommendation 12+) is at The Wardrobe Theatre on April 26-29 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available at www.thewardrobetheatre.com.

All photos: Keef Hickey

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