Don’t know? Have a go!, theSpace at Surgeons’ Hall Review

Don’t know? Have a go! Is a one-man show written and performed by Robbie Hall, chronicling a man as he plays on the television game show Don’t Know? Have a go! wanting to make it to the desirable tunnel of mystery.

Portraying both presenter and contestant, Hall shines, giving a thriller-inducing performance that keeps its audience on their toes throughout. The dark satirical writing plays well not just to the comedic elements but nails the thoughts that race through contestants' minds on TV game shows. Without ruining the ending, you leave the show with a tear in your eye and a joyful melancholy sense of love in your heart. The piece, likened to The Truman Show in its absurdity to realism, shows how the mind can play tricks so real on the mind that it’s an easier world to live in, at least for the time being.

The stage is fairly bare; a podium sits in the centre adorned with a green blazer jacket. This decision lets Robbie explore the story not just through words but also physically, which in turn aids in separating and establishing the two characters early on in the piece. I do think some acting choices start to become a little repetitive as the show progresses, especially with the contestant, but does work well for the character by the end of the piece. It has to be said that Hall thrives as the show’s host, being able to shift between personalities swiftly and sharply, never taking his eye off the ball.

Don’t know? Have a go! plays to its strengths in a stream of chaotic energy thanks to Robbie Hall’s emotionally driven performance.

Don’t know? Have a go! plays at theSpace at Surgeons’ Hall until 15 August.

★★★★

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Written by Kerry at Theatre and Tonic, August 2026.