According to WordPress Insights, this will be my 1,348th blog post, and (according to my own memory) the one that I’ve stared at a blank screen for the longest time before working out how to go about writing it! You shouldn’t read anything bad into that, gentle reader. However, if you’ve got tickets to see this performance and don’t want to know anything about what happens, please stop reading now. If, however, you’re spoiler-resistant, please, roll a die and continue…

I guess the clue was in the title – Do or Dice Theatre – that this was to be no ordinary show. Indeed, no ordinary Fringe show, not that such a thing exists. All I knew in advance was that there was a maximum of six audience members for each performance and that it was to be immersive. Good – I like immersive. We are met at the entrance to the venue by a mysterious cloaked dungeon master and we each choose an identity whose attributes we will take on for our quest. I was a Druid elf; it was a character part. We were each to give our characters a name. I chose Chris, because I’m essentially obedient. I realised afterwards that you didn’t have to choose your own name. It wasn’t an exam.

Our quest was to steal a green crystal from under the noses of some cavern guards. I had no idea I was going to be asked to do something immoral, but then, I was an elf, so who cares? With expert guidance from our excellent master, Liam Bottazzi, we progressed through three layers of peril. We each had a number of special powers, which we could use if we wished. I turned sticks to snakes, threw magic missiles, befriended an animal, and called on my ancient powers gifted by Ulthane the Goddess of Nature to… well… have two throws of the dice.

By dint of teamwork and a spirit of derring-do, the six of us thwarted those pesky guards and stole the ultimate prize. All from the comfort of a pub settee. This was my first game of dungeons and dragons since 1979 so I was a little rusty, and, although this was nothing like what I expected, I really enjoyed it! It’s one of those experiences where the more you put in, the more you get out, and Mr Bottazzi ran the game with good humour, funny voices, entertaining characterisations and, above all, putting his audience/players at ease and encouraging our interaction. Forty-five minutes of team-playing (literally), fun fantasy and dressing-up. Plus you get to steal a crystal without any bother from the police.