Thomas Monckton’s one man show, The Pianist, reminded me of watching a kitten play with its tail for an hour – you can’t look away. He’s also ridiculously energetic, confused, and excitable. He tries very hard to make everything exactly perfect and, in so doing, causes things to go terribly wrong. You can’t help but laugh as he comes up with more and more ridiculous solutions to his never ending problems.The Pianist is a physical comedy that the whole family can enjoy.

The Pianist tries desperately to put on a good show, but it must be his enemy’s lucky day, because everything seems to go wrong. One thing topples and the Pianist attempts to fix it with an even more disastrous idea. He climbs atop the piano and can’t get down. He gets stuck in the stage curtains. He has trouble with the spotlight. He throws paper into the audience. He uses an audience member to climb onto the stage – more than once.

Monckton’s skill as a gymnast is impressive. He keeps the audience engaged and laughing at his mad pianist character all the way through, even when he finally succeeds in actually getting to play the piano. His body seems to move in illogical ways, contorting to reach things he needs as if he were made of elastic.

The music is a large part of the show, especially as the Pianist never speaks. It provides both extra context and another layer of comedic value. The music accompanies the Pianist’s attempts to sit at the piano and play, and is timed well with Monckton’s erratic movement, reaching crescendos as the Pianist executes yet another bad idea.

The Pianist is a fantastically ridiculous show that is entertaining for all ages. There are funny parts, strange parts, and plain old silly parts, and not a single drop of seriousness. It’s a show that takes itself very lightly, and leaves its audience with smiles and a memorable experience.