Well Balanced Dads by Whisper Theatre Creative (who we were lucky enough to chat to on our YouTube channel, which you can watch here) is a one-hour, jam-packed, joyous theatrical experience that encourages the audience to ponder what dads truly get up to when their child-raising duties are done! With an array of mesmerising partner acrobatics, groan-worthy dad jokes (the best kind, in my opinion) and bucket loads of audience participation, this truly is a show perfect for the whole family!
The show follows the lives of two extremely stereotypical dads, Dale, played by the incredible Britt Anderson (who we chatted to about their other show here), and Dick, played by the brilliant Richie Schiraldi (who we chatted to about his other show here), who have reunited after their children have taken their respective paths and drifted physically away from their families. We are first introduced to the energetic fathers as they take to the stage, sharing a collection of the worst (or best, if you are me) dad jokes and a series of incredible tricks and flips, which was just incredible to watch. The two performers clearly have fantastic chemistry both on and off stage, as well as incredible trust in one another, as they are flung into the air and/or flipped by each other. This must have been incredibly terrifying, but the duo seemed totally unfazed by these death-defying tricks! At one point in the show, the two dads begin falling asleep in their camping chairs (which is such a stereotypical yet real dad activity), as the pair begin demonstrating an almost dream sequence-esque routine of more tricks/flips and lifts which was brilliant to watch!
Underneath the jokes and tricks, however, the show possesses a powerful message about the thoughts and feelings of empty-nester fathers all over the world. After the pair decide to go on a much-needed camping trip, they constantly mention and think about how much their children would have loved the moments leading up to and during the trip itself. There are multiple points in the show where the pair invite guests from the audience to join them on stage to take part in activities that would often be associated with fathers and their children. One of the more powerful scenes in the show sees the fictitious dads phone their children, with both having incredibly awkward and uncomfortable chats with their kids, with one wanting less contact and the other wanting more. As one of the fathers is making the call, the other switches into normal everyday clothes to play the role of the child. This was just so powerful and highlighted the different ways parents all around the world deal with their children growing up and moving away.
On the journey to the camping spot, Dick and Dale bring two audience members onto the stage to join them as they drive in their van, which was met with fits of laughter from the remaining audience throughout. The team are able to harness their improvisational skills to interact with the new performers, including a musical-chairs-style game where they change positions in the car (not forgetting to close the door before and after each change) and even playing a game of hide-and-seek, in which one of the guests decided to hide under the chairs used to represent the van, which was brilliant! Later in the show, the duo invite another two guests onto the stage as they play a game of catch, with the fathers helping coach the invitees on how to catch and throw effectively. I think it is fair to say this is a universal experience between people and their fathers. This then transitions into a wonderfully eccentric scene where the four people on the stage initiate a dance battle, where everyone in attendance is encouraged to follow along. This taps into the underpinning joy this show aims to portray, with this choreography reappearing in the closing moments of the show as everyone floods onto the stage, creating a truly joyous end to the production.
In conclusion, Well Balanced Dads by Whisper Theatre is an exciting and fun-filled partner-acrobatics show that is underpinned by the very real and powerful message of how fathers deal with their children growing up. The show will leave you not only in amazement but also encourage you to think about how the father figures in your life are doing, which is particularly important right now with the rise of male loneliness and the mental health crisis. These two ideas blend flawlessly together.I would rate this show 5 out of 5 stars!
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