[KIDS AND FAMILY/Comedy ~ International]
The Giant Balloon Show
The Lab at Fool’s Paradise Sat 8 March, 2025.

Popping balloons are loud. Dizzy O’Dare is louder. But louder than both of these things are the screeching
raucous children Dizzy engineers into a chaotic frenzy. This is a show that relies on the ability of a
seasoned, natural entertainer to set the atmosphere in the room much more than it relies on virtuosic
balloon skills. In fact, you get the sense this show could have been about anything and it wouldn’t change a
great deal. Though the finale does deliver the promised giant balloon and a grown man looking silly enough to leave everyone laughing.
It’s right up there for audience engagement, with children taking baited leads on cue, screaming in chorus.
The nostalgic 80s soundtrack keeps the parents vibing and Dizzy delivers a broad bandwidth of humour,
balancing silliness and wit to keep all ages amused. A number of cameos invite eager young audience
members into the limelight to add their own flair under loose guidance, which makes you laugh without
laughing at anyone’s expense.
This is comedy that uses props for gags but foolproof in its simplicity. There’s no anxiety for the death-
defying artist who might fail. The bar is low, and while that doesn’t build suspense, it’s also why Dizzy and
his audience are all so at ease to sit back and be entertained.
The show is advertised for ages 4 and up and the small venue does get loud, which is worth considering for younger or sensitive ears.
If the dB level from the crowd is any measure, this show is a hit!