Confident, rehearsed, and gloriously unhinged, Blip Blarp lands on Earth with an ambitious mission: conquer the planet and produce 1,000 offspring. Unfortunately for our intergalactic heroine, the real challenge is not planetary domination, it is dating. Through “burlesque” flair, sci-fi absurdity, and plenty of comedy, showing how dating can be completely alien. The central joke is simple but effective: if an alien can understand the complexities of invading Earth, why can’t she understand how to get a human to commit?
Located in The Snifter Room at Just The Tonic at The Mash House as the last show of the day, the chaotic nature of that time slot and the difficulty in finding the venue adds to the mystery of the show.
One of the show’s greatest strengths is its confidence. Blip feels completely at home within the world she has created, and the performance is clearly well-rehearsed without losing its sense of spontaneity. The character is larger than life, but the emotional frustrations beneath the comedy remain recognizable. Her attempts at seduction may be alien, but the desire to be wanted, chosen, and understood is anything but.
The use of the performance environment and audience is particularly effective. Rather than treating the audience as passive observers, the show makes the most of the space around it, creating a sense that Blip’s mission is unfolding directly in front of us. This helps blur the line between performer and spectator and gives the show an energetic, unpredictable quality. There is a playful intimacy to the interaction that suits its subject matter: dating is, after all, an exercise in performing yourself for others and hoping they like what they see.
There is also something satisfying about the show’s perspective on contemporary romance. By viewing dating culture through literally alien eyes, Blip Blarp exposes just how bizarre our supposedly normal behavior can be. Swiping through strangers, decoding ambiguous messages, and navigating undefined relationships suddenly seem as absurd as anything from another galaxy.
While the dancing was ok and the risqué costumes were well-designed, calling the show traditional burlesque would be a complete exaggeration, perhaps a reflection of how fringe shows blur genre boundaries rather than conform to them. But genre labels matter less than what the show ultimately achieves. Beneath the bright pink hair and blue skin lies something more significant than spectacle: at its heart, Blip Blarp is less interested in teaching us how to find love than in laughing at how difficult we have made it. Through jokes and theatrical flair, the show taps into a surprisingly universal truth: we all just want to be wanted.
Reviewer: David Nicaudie
Date Reviewed: 29th August 2026
North West End UK/Theatre Muse UK Rating: 3 stars
