Indy! ★★★½ ☆☆

Indy! – Raiders of the Lost Laughs | ★★★½

Indy is a fast-paced parody that attempts the slightly ridiculous task of cramming as much of the Indiana Jones franchise as humanly possible into 60 minutes and for the most part, this trio pulls it off.

The three performers race through characters, scenes and familiar moments from the films at breakneck speed. It’s energetic, deliberately silly and packed with quick jokes, audience participation and just enough naughtiness to give the whole thing a slightly camp Fringe edge.

If you’re an Indiana Jones fan, you’re definitely going to get more from the experience. I’ve seen many of the films and enjoyed them, so there was an immediate familiarity with what was being parodied. But I found myself wondering whether someone who had never seen an Indy movie would have quite as much fun.

Interestingly, I think they probably would.

That’s where the extra half-star comes in. There’s enough physical comedy, silliness and general theatrical chaos here that you don’t necessarily need an encyclopaedic knowledge of the franchise to laugh along. There are moments of genuinely excellent comedy, alongside plenty of jokes that are simply designed to make you grin, groan or giggle.

The format itself isn’t particularly revolutionary. Fringe audiences will have seen other shows using a similar model: take a beloved franchise, throw it into a theatrical blender and see how much madness can be squeezed into an hour. Indy, however, executes that formula at a higher calibre than many.

Is it spectacular or groundbreaking? No. But I don’t think it is trying to be.

This is a show designed to give you a good time, celebrate a much-loved movie franchise and send you back out into the Fringe with a smile on your face. Sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.

For Indiana Jones fans, this one belongs on the adventure list.

★★★½ – 3.5 stars