Martin Dockery: Forbidden City!
Hilarious, true, & off-the-rails story about a Chinese audio guide & the birth of Dockery’s daughter. Ridiculous alt-comedy storytelling from the creator of 1 SMALL LIE, TRUTH, THE STAKEOUT, and THE REVIEW.
always a fantastic show. The forbidden city takes you in a wild ride of new beginnings. His chaotic energy is always so palpable, and he keeps you wondering where he's going next while laughing so hard at his antics.
Not my kind of humour but I really like Martin! He is a really engaging performer. Throughout this show I just thought he was insane but he really loves his wife and daughter. It felt like watching an animal with zoochosis but in a fun way
Sorry Martin, I normally really enjoy your shows….but not this one. You are a great story teller, but this time it was like you were trying too hard. The bit about getting started over and over got a little old after the third time. And there were many tangents felt too much like “filler “. I kept looking at my watch to see how much longer. Sorry again, but not my favourite Dockery production.
No one really likes endings, do they? Well, why not watch a show with only introductions and just that? Martin Dockery: Forbidden City! takes the audience, sadly without actually taking us with him in the moving cinema that is going 600mph, on a completely ridiculous trip through his experience of the Forbidden City, all while being guided by an audio guide who just will not stop introducing itself.
The show is chaotic, weird, and actually really hilarious. With only an office desk in sight and a chair, Dockery's show might seem minimalistic, but it's definitely much more than that. I'm not one to go out and watch a one-man show, but this had me rolling in my seat. What I think makes this show work is how easily Dockery turns something that could have been a simple and forgettable story into something that keeps the audience really interested and makes it into an unforgettable experience for everyone. He has said during the show that he believes that teenagers are never really impressed by anything, but I found myself proving him wrong. His storytelling and comedic timing had the audience laughing throughout the show, and I was genuinely impressed by how consistently he could get the crowd to react to even the smallest jokes, like the one about cargo pants being outdated, which I totally agree with that they shouldn't be. There were plenty of moments that had the whole theatre laughing, especially with his completely top-tier T-shirt cannon that you must experience for yourself! It had me giggling in my seat.
You could almost feel Dockery's dread, fear and the look of defeat all at once whenever the audio guide came up, especially as he had to keep introducing the same idea of how it has a dial for volume and a map on the back over and over again. Somehow, each time he repeated it, it only made it funnier.
What starts off as a simple question of whether to buy the Chinese audio guide or not eventually becomes something much more personal. Without giving away where the story ends, the idea of "introductions" now takes on a whole new meaning for me, making "What a Wonderful World" feel like a fitting song to leave the audience pondering.
Totally would recommend!
Hilarious and absurd beyond belief and potentially the most chaotic and rancid vibes ever brought to Saskatoon's Cosmopolitan Seniors Centre. The feeling of absolute horror and dread while simultaneously laughing until out of breath is an experience unique to Martin Dockery. His stage persona immediately reads as "himself at 500%" from his endless reserve of intensity that sucks you into this manic nightmare. Recommending to friends and enemies alike.