Musical comedy and storytelling collide in this raucously funny and unabashedly chaotic show by Dave Hill

Speeding into Soho Theatre’s Upstairs black box space on a bicycle, clad in a funky helmet and purple unitard/jumpsuit bedecked in various accoutrements, Dave Hill let the audience know exactly what they were in for from the very top of the show. The outrageous entrance, which somehow left no one injured, gave the initially stuffy audience a much-needed shock to get them a little out of their comfort zone and ready for some giggles (and perhaps, even, a guffaw.) 

The stage is cluttered in instruments, emblematic of a band that is here to make you laugh as much as it is here to play you some music. Once Dave Hill catches his breath, he commences his show: a kaleidoscope of storytelling interspersed with music, a touch of audience participation and cultural observations, and a list or two of some ideas that almost feel like something thought of on the bus ride over. The audience is truly cackling from the onset, absolutely thrilled by Hill’s wry humour, commitment to the bit, and snarky comments to his bandmates. 

Dave Hill’s tone is dry and self-effacing. He somehow presents as simultaneously an ego-driven attention-seeker, as well as a shy, self-conscious artist. He derides himself while showing off some incredibly impressive guitar riffs, before he turns around and tells his band for the twentieth time that show to ‘keep it down a little bit.’ These bits that could easily become tired remain genuinely witty throughout the show by way of Dave Hill’s excellent use of timing. The tone, moreover, is carefully cultivated. No matter to what end Hill seems to make fun of his band, himself, or even the audience, it never rings as cruel. Rather, it remains a funny anecdote that bonds the audience to the performer, including us in his little world that has been created on stage, and feels only accessible to us in this very moment. 

Aside from Hill’s excellent storytelling capabilities, it would be remiss not to highlight his incredible musical prowess. Hill does not rely on his comedy or storytelling to make up for any lack in musical talent. No matter the extent of your musical knowledge, it is clear that Dave Hill is no stranger to the guitar. The instrument appears almost as an extension of himself; his lines are buttoned by a trill, his stories coloured by a meandering tune, backed by his equally talented bassist and drummer, though such an assertion would certainly get a rise out of Dave Hill’s character in this production. 
If you are in the market for an hour of genuine fun, Dave Hill: Caveman in a Spaceship at Soho Theatre might be exactly what you are looking for.