Piff and his fluffy sidekick have returned to the Fringe for another year and this time it seems Piff has given into the sad realisation that Mr. Piffles is the real star of the show. Nevertheless, he plays this to his strengths by involving the tiny chihuahua in the show as much as possible. Mr Piffles is now far more than just an expensive gimmick, hence the show's title referring directly to him. Although this is a brand new show, Piff cleverly mixes the new with the old by making references to his older jokes, making them instantly fresh and relevant again - something which takes guts and talent.
After Mr. Piffles’ failed ‘Levitating Chihuahua’ trick, with the help of new assistant Amy Sunshine Piff warms up the crowd with some simple card tricks which he describes as ‘the purest form of magic’. He then selects a female member of the audience and, from there onwards, the show focuses around four fairytale-inspired tests that this poor girl must pass in order to become Piff’s princess. Of course, Mr Piffles remains the centre of attention throughout the show, performing his own card tricks along with some more death-defying stunts which see our furry friend strapped into a straight jacket, processed through a laminator and shot from a cannon. Not all at the same time, of course. That would just be cruel.
After treating us to some of the first magic tricks he ever learned as a young magic dragon in training, Piff then asks for his princess’ hand in marriage (in this case, she sadly refused) before the audience is given a shocking twist at the end of the show. Overall, ...Jurassic Bark is a great return from everyone’s favourite magic dragon and his canine companion. Piff manages the incredible feat of staying true to his original character without creating a tiresome gimmick which, given the competitive and often fickle nature of the comedy scene, is a truly remarkable accomplishment indeed.
