Richard Soames @ Underbelly Bristo Square

There are certain rules for making a blockbuster movie, Richard Soames tells us. And he is well-placed to teach them, having spent his adolescence shooting home movie action parodies with his younger brother.

In this fast-paced hour, Soames makes great use of technology as he leads the audience in making our very own movie, prompted by scenes from his aforementioned back catalogue as well as classic films and footage created especially for this show. Audience members are allocated roles and asked to provide plot points and characters, and Soames’ thoroughly engaging persona creates an environment in which everyone is happy to throw themselves fully into the filmmaking process. 

The hour is tightly packed and reliant on sometimes complicated technology, which on this occasion sees a few missed cues and technical blips which upset the momentum slightly. Soames reacts easily though and quickly gets the show back on track with charm and self-deprecating humour which bring the audience on-side even more than they already were.

The filmmaking theme is straightforward and the structure of the show – which sees Soames cycle through a numbered list of rules – is perhaps slightly too colour-by-numbers for some tastes. But its execution here is complex and Soames handles it to a satisfying conclusion.

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Richard Soames: Let's Make a Movie, Underbelly Bristo Square (Buttercup), 1-27 Aug (not 13), 3.55pm, £6.50-10

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