As the company’s name suggests, Told By An Idiot have a highly developed sense of the absurd. Their shows come laced with whimsy but often something more savage, too. The former dominates this exploration of human folly that attempts to tie together the ill-fated 1990s BBC soap opera Eldorado with a Colombian folk tale about revenge and redemption, and the 16th-century Spanish quest for a mythical golden city in the New World.
The stories never fuse in a production, delivered by a talented all-female cast, that lacks insight and thematic unity. It quickly descends into a series of skits rather lamely framed by a Spanish teacher showing off her pupils’ language skills to some English visitors. There are nice touches, including an entertaining fruit and vegetable puppet interlude. And there are laugh-out-loud moments, too, but the show’s relentless, studied zaniness is frequently exhausting to watch.
Suggestive jokes are emphasised over any real exploration of our capacity for fooling ourselves, and of our endless wild goose chases in search of TV ratings, gold or love. The play’s final moments offer surprise and a welcome shift to something quieter and more reflective, which hints at what this show might have achieved with more light and shade. In chasing easy laughs, Told By An Idiot sell everyone short.
• At Drum, Plymouth, until 22 October. Box office: 01752 267222. Then touring until 27 November.
