Plymouth Theatre Review

Title: ‘The Art Of Tim Bhom

Venue: The House, Main stage (and everywhere else!)

Date: 21st May 2024

Overall Rating: 4

‘The Art of Tim Bhom’ is a fun-filled immersive theatre mystery set across several spaces that weaves together Christmas carols, dancing and an array of clues, all designed to assist the hilariously inept P.I Barry Garlow.

A funny and comedic introduction via ‘Art with Bart’ that eased the audience into the interactive and multimedia elements of the show while setting the tone for the farcical and comedic style maintained throughout. 

The audience is well and truly at the heart of this piece, as guests become an increasingly integral part of the narrative, actively engaging with the characters and sets. The audience are guided through the spaces (set across three floors) allowing them to become fully immersed in the mystery solving experience. As you navigate these spaces, you are drawn deeper into the story, encountering different clues, that you are encouraged to collect along the way. The audience is always on the move (walking up and down stairs, taking a lift to other floors and even sneaking into character spaces) in order to find clues and solve the mystery.

While this does engage and audience and keep them on their toes, I would have liked to have seen more resistance from the characters with regards to the audience distractions as this would add an extra layer of challenge and excitement, pushing the audience to think on their feet and improvise their way through the scenes rather than just following set instructions. Incorporating more instances for the audience to interact and plot with each other could enhance the communal aspects of the show.

The show truly shines in its comedic moments – and there are many! Hiding behind the curtains in the store room from Tim was a really funny moment, including more aspects like this could raise the show to further comedic heights. 

The bomb scene was a particular highlight. Bumbling detective Barry Garlow’s frantic “Where are the wire cutters” plea had the audience in stitches. The interactive element of figuring out the correct order to cut the wires added a thrilling layer of fun, with the tension amplified by the massive countdown on the screen. This scene perfectly blended humour and suspense making it a standout moment in an already entertaining production.

From Christmas Carol singing, to dancing, to hunting for clues and hiding from Tim, this show was a really enjoyable experience with lots of room to elevate this production by adding more interaction with the characters, harder challenges for the audience and incorporating more opportunities for the audience to interact and plot with each other. Overall, ‘The Art Of Tim Boom’ is a delightfully entertaining experience where the journey is as enjoyable as the final destination.