Christian Dart’s latest solo show, Gumshoe!, arrives at the Fringe trailing a string of accolades, including a Best Show nomination at the Leicester Comedy Festival. Billed as a murder mystery, it follows a grizzled New York detective on his final, ridiculous case. It promises noir tropes and a whodunnit, but audiences should prepare for an investigation that careers wildly off the rails of convention.
A Frenetic Investigation
Be warned: this is not a show for the sedentary. Christian Dart: Gumshoe! is a murder mystery with the pacing of a runaway train. This is a very interactive, audience-heavy, and at times, frenetic story. A word of practical advice for anyone attending: do not bring hot coffee into the theatre. You will regret it (my seat neighbours did).
You might be asked to look after a water blaster, you might be invited onto the stage, be a dog, and you could even be implicated in the crime. Dart, as the titular Gumshoe, shot about half the audience with a prop gun before we’d even made a dent in the case. This is high-octane homicide, and you’re part of the chaos whether you like it or not.
Winning You Over
This is essentially a one-man show, with Dart providing the manic energy while voiceovers fill in for other characters like the femme fatale, Andrea Pandrea. On the day we attended, Dart admitted to struggling with a sore voice, but if he hadn’t mentioned it, you’d be hard-pressed to notice. The performance is just that committed.
There’s even singing.
If you arrive expecting a slow-burn noir, the initial shift into an almost cabaret, clown-esque physical comedy might be jarring. I’ll admit to having my doubts at first, but the momentum is infectious. Gumshoe! is a show that drags you along, maybe reluctantly, until you cast off your concerns and enjoy the ride. And despite the hijinks, we never go too far from noir tropes. Dart is a charismatic performer, and while the mystery itself may be predictable, the journey to its solution is fantastically fun.
Overall
Once I embraced the show’s chaotic spirit, the second half was a pure delight. Christian Dart: Gumshoe! is another fantastic Fringe experience that successfully subverts its own genre. It might not be the show you think you’re walking into, but it’s one you’ll be glad you saw. It just works.
Review: Christian Dart – Gumshoe!
Summary
This one-man murder mystery is a whirlwind of audience participation and chaotic comedy. While not the traditional gumshoe investigation some might expect, Christian Dart’s charismatic and energetic performance creates an infectious experience that is fantastically fun, even if the mystery itself is predictable.
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