GroundDodds Day is a creative and amusing time-looped standup show but its full potential has yet to be realised.summary
Rating
Ok
The premise for this standup show by Dylan Dodds is a good one: a comedy show caught in a time loop, much like the Groundhog Day film and musical, which Dodds references in his act. But this is GroundDodds Day.
Dodds welcomes the audience to the tiny basement venue at The Glitch, looking quite different from the poster: “I’ve had a haircut” he tells us later, repeatedly. He then informs us that there have been some technical issues and that his snow machine isn’t working. He proceeds to hand an audience member the bubble-blowing gun he was using as we entered. He has settled us in, engaged us, and endeared himself to us. We relax, and the standup begins with a recorded announcement.
The set includes jokes, such as a reference to déjà vu, and ends with a nod to Frozen — a film his young daughter loves to watch on repeat; cue bubbles and dishwashing! And so, the comedy time loop begins.
It’s at this point that some holes appear. Dodds seems to become aware of the loop and, much like Bill Murray’s character in the film, starts to change things. However, unlike the film, we the audience are also aware of the loop, but Dodds tries to convince us that we aren’t. Initially, the audience members he interacts with play along, but the joke wears thin. At some point, Dodds needs to acknowledge our awareness and somehow involve us in the adventure of trying to break the loop. The way this is eventually resolved is a little disappointing.
That said, the idea for the show is strong and merits further development. Dodds builds on the jokes with each repetition and reveals more about his personal struggles — his relationship, lockdown challenges, and the joys and anxieties of being a new father. These are solid, relatable aspects of the set. I did laugh several times at both the humour and the absurdity of the act. Dodds also had to contend with the loud singing from the event happening on the floor above, which added another layer of chaos to the show.
GroundDodds Day is an inventive concept with some great moments, but it feels like it could push further. With more audience engagement and perhaps a sharper resolution to the time loop, Dodds could take this show from amusing to something truly memorable. It’s a fun, quirky ride, but there’s potential for even more depth and connection in the narrative, especially with the rich personal material Dodds has to draw from.
Written and Performed by: Dylan Dodds
GroundDodds Day has finished its run at The Glitch, as part of the Lambeth Fringe.
Find out more about Dylan Dodds here.
