Olivier winning children’s show Brainiac Live! promises an hour of laughs, fun, and explosions.
This fantastic show for families takes us through an afternoon with the brainiacs – three mischievous scientists obsessed with all things that definitely shouldn’t be tried at home.
From the moment the show began the energy levels were through the roof – with our three main brainiacs, Brainiac Ned (Andy Joyce), Brainiac Ed (Rik Warren) , and Brainiac Raz (Tracy Rahi) – all cheeky, engaging and entertaining in their respective roles, with Brainiac Ed’s oddball delivery and silliness being a highlight.
The experiments on offer included different explosions, running through plywood, and adding boiling water to liquid nitrogen – were varied, entertaining and educational. The science was also explained in an accessible way without ever slowing the pace. At no point, despite working with things like fire did it ever feel out of control or unsafe, and I appreciated the regular warnings for loud noises – many of the audience members had noise-cancellation headsets, or put fingers in their ears before an explosion, and I noticed only a handful of the younger members of the audience left the auditorium during the show.
The set was simple, but effective, various warning signs and different experiment components, with a screen at the back. I’m often sceptical of screens in theatre as they can become a distraction but here they genuinely enhanced the production, accompanying whatever was happening on stage to further inform the audience. I particularly appreciated it’s use during transitions – with facts and quizzes to follow whilst the next experiment was being set up.
It’s clear there has been a lot of thought put into this show, and it pays off. The only aspect that didn’t quite land would be that Brainiac Live! seemed to end quite suddenly, and on an underwhelming end, sure – with an explosion, but after an hour of much similar experiments I would’ve liked to have gone out with more of a bang (pun not intended).
Brainiac Live! successfully strikes the balance between education and entertainment, delivering an hour packed with laughter, audience interaction and genuinely impressive science demonstrations. Whilst the finale could have laned with a little more impact the infectious enthusiasm of the cast and the variety of experiments ensure that there is plenty to keep children and adults alike engaged. It is an ideal introduction to live theatre for younger audiences and a fun family outing.
Review by Kyanna Cronshaw
Brainiac Live is playing at the Garrick Theatre until 30th August. You can find out more here.
If you like this review you might also like my review of Hercules, Wicked and Matilda