‘The Rules Of Inflation’ is set up as a children’s party. Performers hand out cake. The stage is littered with balloons. The ensuing 50 minutes is made up of twisted party games, dictated to the characters – Pink, Yellow, Green and Blue – by a clown that emerges from a giant, wrapped box. Unfortunately, it is just not that entertaining to watch the performers playing musical chairs. The show gestures towards important points about sexual power dynamics – some disturbing things are done with balloons, including a simulated labour – and politics, but is ultimately vapid. Clowning, the selling point of the show, is not used to its full potential. A deflating late night show.

theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, until 20 Aug.
tw rating 2/5 | [Hannah Greenstreet]