The Dice Decides by Clumsy Cabaret is a unique cabaret show that sees performers navigate unexpected challenges, all decided by the power of a magical D20 and the audience themselves. Featuring a brilliant collection of cabaret-style performers, including burlesque, drag and live vocals, the show follows an exciting adventure as the audience encounters iconic Dungeons & Dragons-inspired obstacles, rolling the dice to see how they can help — or hinder — the special guests. Thanks to the unpredictability of the dice, this is a show that changes every time you see it, meaning you never know what to expect!
Started by a viewing of the 2023 movie Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (which you can read our review of here), it has only recently been that I have developed an ever-growing obsession with the tabletop roleplaying game of the same name. I am actually in the process of creating my own campaign and developing my toolkit to become a skilful Dungeon Master. This is why, when I discovered that another selection of hometown icons would be making the quest from Wales to The Edinburgh Fringe, I knew this would be a show I could not miss! The Dice Decides is a cabaret show from Clumsy Cabaret that sees a range of performers take to the stage to tell the narrative of a peaceful and tranquil adventure through a mysterious forest. However, as the performers are set to showcase their art, the audience are given the power to help (or, more likely, hinder) them with a series of D&D-inspired conditions, such as encumbered (having to hold the inflatable dice), disarmed (removing a prop or costume element) or deafened (where the music they had prepared is muted). These conditions act as hurdles akin to those in the actual TTRPG, but in the real world, which shows that the team had clearly thought carefully about both the source material and how they could interweave this with an actual performance.
The entire event was hosted by the incredible Matt Hazard (who we actually chatted to on our YouTube channel, which you can watch here), who had the important responsibility of not only introducing the acts and keeping the audience full of excitement throughout, but also explaining the rules of the show/game. Matt seemed totally at ease balancing all these expectations and was able to break down all these aspects into easy-to-understand instructions so the audience knew how to act throughout. They were also able to effortlessly navigate technical issues throughout the show while cracking brilliant jokes that helped the audience stay in the world they had spent the evening creating. Also featured in the show was the reigning winner of Jolene’s Drag Race, Vanity Act (who we were also lucky enough to chat to on our YouTube channel, which you can watch here), who took this opportunity to showcase just how truly talented a lip-syncer and dancer they are. Vanity pulled out a range of tricks throughout the performance that induced audible gasps and cheers from the audience as she commanded the stage (and the audience area) to create a captivating and mesmerising addition to the evening. Alongside Vanity, the show also featured another fantastic drag performer, Glas (who we also chatted to on our YouTube channel, which you can watch here), who decided to use this show to showcase their vocal talents as they sang live in front of the crowd gathered at The Speakeasy at The Royal Scots Club. They are clearly a very talented vocalist who is able to control not only their voice but also things such as microphone placement to ensure every single person could appreciate their talents on display. The biggest reaction of the night from the audience, however, was for the incredible Violet De Light, who helped to inject even more burlesque fun into the entire show with a cowboy-inspired number complete with gorgeous chaps and a sparkly Stetson hat. The crowd member selected to roll for the condition they would face during their performance was particularly excited to get involved and, despite failing the skill check, was still gifted with the opportunity to sit at the front of the stage for this sensual number, which had the entire audience (and, in particular, the special guest) overjoyed! They cleverly used every inch of the stage and the audience area during their performance, which was a clear demonstration of their understanding of the reaction from the crowd and helped to add an element of immersiveness to the show that was brilliant! Also on this lineup was the wonderful Dinosaur Outlaw, who is a relatively new performer but seemed totally comfortable on the stage and brought a unique forest-inspired character to life for the Fringe crowd. Another performer featured in this one-of-a-kind show was the fabulous Morgan Le Jiggles, who showcased an adorable catgirl-inspired number that the audience appeared to really love. I have to say that this performer had clearly thought carefully about the character they were showcasing and how this would translate to a live performance. They had crafted not only a fantastic look that fitted with the character wonderfully, but also brought with them a series of kitten-related props that any feline fans in the crowd would really enjoy. The lineup was completed by the insanely talented Hellbound and Rebecca Riot, who dealt effortlessly with the crowd throughout their respective performances and were able to show everyone in attendance exactly why Wales deserves more appreciation for being a hub of cabaret and creativity!
In conclusion, The Dice Decides by Clumsy Cabaret is an incredibly exciting and unique cabaret lineup that celebrates the phenomenon of Dungeons & Dragons while showcasing an array of Welsh talent. As a proud Welshman myself, seeing friends and familiar faces take to the stage at one of the world’s biggest theatre festivals is wonderfully heartwarming (similarly to the effect of seeing Cowboys Comedy, which you can read about here), and I cannot wait to see this show take the land of the red dragon by storm! There were some microphone and sound issues during the earlier stages of the show, as well as some apparent chaos that caused the show to come to a rapid end, but the magical musical adventure throughout made for a truly one-of-a-kind production! I would rate this show 4 out of 5 stars!
Rhysreviews 