Släpstick: Schërzo, Wilton’s Music Hall Review

Reviewed by Penny for Theatre and Tonic

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review

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Wilton’s is the oldest music hall in the world. Housed in a Grade II listed building, walking through its doors is like taking a step back in time. It’s a glorious place, full of quirky charm and character. So, it’s the perfect venue for a quirky and charming show that fuses classical music with clowning …

Schërzo is that show. It’s presented by Släpstick, a Dutch company who combine physical theatre, raucous comedy and exceptional musicianship. Following its premiere at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, Schërzo has now arrived in London as a part of the company’s European tour.

The five performers (Willem van Baarsen, Rogier Bosman, Sanne van Delft, Jon Bittman and Jaap Rovers) make a strong visual impact as soon as they take to the stage, dressed in suits with prominent stitching, eccentric hairstyles and impressive moustaches, ideal for twirling! As they move around and interact with each other, their posture and mannerisms call to mind the comedic stars of old silent movies – the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton or Laurel and Hardy – and throughout the show, they communicate without the need for scripted dialogue, letting us know exactly what’s going on with an exaggerated gesture or facial expression.

And, of course, a lot of the time the music does the talking.

This would be a highly entertaining show if the quintet just showed off their musical prowess. The troupe’s five members are adept at playing every musical instrument you can think of (and a few that you probably can’t!), jumping from playing strings to brass to reed instruments without pausing for breath and playing instantly recognisable tunes from The Flight of the Bumble Bee to The Birdie Song to a ridiculously high standard. But as well this musical treat for the ears, the cast members all have impeccable comic timing and dance skills.

In the hands of these brilliant clowns a sweet lullaby becomes a show-stopping anthem, a dance off takes a surreal turn, and bickering composers face off against each other with some impressive ventriloquism! These guys can also make music out of absolutely anything including an umbrella, their own hair (!) and even some of those flimsy plastic cups that you’d find in vending machines. At one point this close-knit group of performers get so close to each other that they are able to take playing together as an ensemble to a whole new level – one of the guys has one of his hands playing the lower keys on a colleague’s clarinet, the other hand is strumming a ukelele that’s strapped to another musician’s back (that musician is helping to play the double bass and banging a symbol on yet another muso’s head). It’s almost impossible to explain in a way that does the performance justice, something that has to be seen to be believed!

If you’ve ever wondered what you’d get if you mixed clowning, ventriloquism, dancing, outrageous hair and a super-human amount of musical talent – Schërzo will give you the answer. It’s an exceptional hour and a bit (running time is 85 minutes) of entertainment, showcasing the incredible talents of the troupe. Guaranteed to have you laughing out loud, grinning from ear to ear, with your foot tapping away as you cheer the exploits of the performers, this is the perfect way to banish any Autumn blues.

Släpstick: Schërzo runs at Wilton’s Music Hall until Saturday 12th October 2024. Find out more and book here. 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★