(No) Refunds ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“(No) Refunds is an interactive game show play hosted by Tiffany Gold, an old-school American host and model presenter all-in-one who quite literally depends on your entertainment. One premium ticket holder, dubbed the Star Player for the evening, will compete in three games designed to amuse the audience and showcase their talents. Only those best-suited to handle the demands of stardom will walk away with a full refund. Do you have what it takes?”

Kelsey Robins direction is nicely done and makes effective use of the very limited stage space. There is a clear understanding of how to keep the action moving without a huge set or complicated staging. Everything feels deliberately positioned, allowing the audience to focus on the games and, of course, Tiffany.

LX is nice and stays predominantly in the same state, which works for the game-show format. However, I did find myself wishing for a few more cues. A lighting change when the contestant won or lost money, for example, could have added another layer of atmosphere and heightened those moments of triumph or disaster. It is a small thing, but in a show built around winning and losing, making those moments feel bigger theatrically could have been great fun.

Sound is at a nice level, and I enjoyed the sound effects that punctuate the games. They add a lot to the atmosphere and help sell the idea that we really are watching a slightly unhinged late-night television game show.

The set is simple but effective, consisting primarily of the table with its three wheels and a collection of cards for the various games. It doesn’t need to be complicated. The audience understands the rules of the world almost immediately, and that simplicity allows the performers and contestants to become the focus.

Costume is one of my favourite visual elements. Tiffany’s outfit is gorgeous, particularly the red dress and the wonderful feathers. It immediately tells us exactly who she is before she has even opened her mouth. It is glamorous, ridiculous and completely appropriate for the character.

The book is particularly difficult to review in the traditional sense because no two performances are likely to be the same. Numerous games, different combinations, and, crucially, different audience members can completely change the course of the evening. And that is precisely where the fun comes from. The games are genuinely interesting and entertaining to watch, and there is a lovely sense of unpredictability throughout. know what the player/contestant is going to do, how the audience will respond or how Tiffany is going to react. My one reservation is the ending. Without spoiling it, the final emotional turn didn’t quite fit the tone that had come before. It is a lovely message, and I absolutely understood what the show was trying to say, but it felt slightly jarring after an evening that had been so gleefully ridiculous.

Katy Murphy as Tiffany Gold is brilliant. She makes a hugely compelling host, constantly ready with a comeback and seemingly able to react to anything thrown at her. She is always on the ball, engaging and wonderfully upbeat. There is a real skill in hosting an interactive show. You have to be able to listen, react, improvise and maintain the illusion that everything is completely under control — even when an audience member inevitably does something you weren’t expecting.

Tiffany is exactly the kind of presenter you can imagine screaming at you through a 1980s television set while simultaneously trying to sell you a dubious kitchen appliance. She is larger-than-life without becoming exhausting, and her relationship with the audience is one of the show’s biggest strengths.

(No) Refunds is a genuinely enjoyable piece of interactive theatre. It is clever, unpredictable and, most importantly, understands that the audience should be having just as much fun as the person on stage. There are a few theatrical opportunities left on the table but these are small reservations about a show that otherwise knows exactly what it wants to do. The biggest compliment I can give (No) Refunds is that I genuinely wanted to know what would happen next time.

(No) Refunds plays at the Gilded Balloon Patter House, The Penny, from the 5-31st (not 18th) at 9:40 pm and runs for approximately 60 minutes. Please note that to be the star player you have to be 18 years of age or older and the show has a recommend age restriction of 16+. To find out more information visit: https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:6726/