EDINBURGH 2023: Review: THE MAN WHO THOUGHT HE KNEW TOO MUCH, Pleasance Courtyard, Forth

I must begin this review by admitting that I typically am not the biggest fan of clowning and physical theatre, so I went into The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much with a bit of scepticism. Would I enjoy 70 minutes of a show like this? The answer? A surprisingly enthusiastic yes!

The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much tells the story of Roger (Paul Lofferon), a Frenchman who is living an average life in New York. His monotonous lifestyle is illustrated through repetitive movements from the cast who help him get ready for the day, catching the things he tosses into the air behind him and transforming into fellow New Yorkers like his secretary, Gretchen (Emily Wheatman). But, when Roger decides to make one small choice that’s different than his normal schedule, everything changes, leading him on a chase around the world to solve a mystery. 

One of the things that the Voloz Collective does best in this show is that the plot is constantly moving forward. Even though there is very little time to develop characters, we are able to gain so much insight into who they are through narration and their movements. Almost immediately, when the date was given as November 1963, I assumed that there would be something related to the Kennedy assassination, but I had no idea just how wild the journey to get there would be, which was an absolute thrill. 

Each of the cast members, including the musician who plays a part on stage several times, has their own unique style that brings something fresh to the production. I particularly loved the performance of one of the company members, Olivia Zerphy, who plays the woman with a red hat. Her performance reminded me of Broadway’s Amber Ardolino with her slick dancing and knowing smirk. 

Ultimately, The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much is a brilliant combination of physical theatre, live music, and narration that makes for a fantastic 70 minutes.

The Voloz Collective does a great job of keeping your attention throughout the entire show with movement, jokes, and costumes that will have you wanting more.

The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much runs at Pleasance Courtyard, Forth at 12:20 from 18 to 28 August (no performance 23 August).

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