@ Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh, until Sun 30 Aug 2015 @ 13:15
Hooray for All Kinds of Things is an entertaining and touching comedy drama, getting a second outing at the Edinburgh Fringe, having been premiered earlier this year at Òran Mór, Glasgow, as part of A Play, A Pie, and a Pint.
This fantastically witty play, tells the true story of Icelandic stand up comedian Jón Gnarr, who, following the economic meltdown of 2008, decides to run for Mayor of Reykjavik as a joke, believing that the people of Iceland are in need of a good laugh. The play explores the journey of his campaign up to election night, and is delivered with a mix of humour and sincerity. Sandy Nelson is excellent in his portrayal of Jón Gnarr, making us laugh at his thoughts on politics, while also showing a believable vulnerability in his desire to create a better future for the people of Reykjavik.
Rebecca Elise and Jamie Scott Gordon also deliver strong performances, as Heida Helgadóttir and Óttarr Proppé respectively, the brains behind Jón’s operation as well as his partners in crime. Elise and Gordon also multi-role, portraying other characters Jón meets on his road to the election. The interactions between the actors are slick and energetic, faltering only when we meet some minor characters that appear too stereotypical to be real people.
Complete with audience participation and a parody song, Hooray for All Kinds of Things is a funny and touching representation of a true story that will warm your heart.