Embracing the world of larger-than-life characters, dramatic medieval-ish combat delivered WWE-style — this show is perfect for families and kids
Presented by: Mat and Donna Basso
Reviewed: 9 March, 2025
Welcome to King Arthur’s court where an epic battle is about to be fought for the hand of his daughter, Princess Guinevere. There’s been trouble brewing lately and how else does a medieval mythical King solve such a dilemma, other than by hosting a feast and ordering said troublemakers to fight to the death, the winner gets the girl? What follows is an hour of medieval-ish combat delivered with the over-the-top flair of professional wrestling.
As a spectator, expect segregation upon entry where you’ll receive a flag denoting your status as ‘Team Knight’, or ‘Team Viking’ and will sit on your allotted side of the tent. This team division works well in A Knight To Remember, where a revved-up audience cheers their team and boos their “enemy”. Viking Ragnar and his bunch of bare-chested, big Danes take on the Knights of the realm in ever more inventive “rounds”. Though of smaller stature than the Vikings (who very much look the part with their height, broad frames, beards and rat/ponytails of appropriate scary varieties), the laddish Sir Lancelot and gutsy Galahad were not to be underestimated.
Enemies face each other, delivering WWE style wrestling with the prerequisite body slams, faux face punching, and dramatic character quarrels. Lancelot is a sexist pig (who knew?) who baits “Girl Knight”, a petite blonde who holds her own. But don’t expect a predictable outcome, and this feud adds drama to the production that carries through to a satisfying resolution. There are also impressive moves where big blokes lift and throw even bigger blokes, with concerningly loud thuds as they hit the (hopefully sprung) floorboards. For those a little squeamish, watch out for use of red mist spray in conjunction with flying kicks to the face. Gory, but effective!
Leaning heavily into stylised action, each ‘round’ offered a blend of adrenaline-pumping choreography and campy entertainment that’s reminiscent of WWE wrestling at its peak.
Use of metal music to amp-up the energy, and non-fighting players urging their “team members” to make noise, resulted in an hour of OTT audience vocal participation. My two nine-year-old dates screamed themselves hoarse for ‘Team Knight’ and loved every second of it. However, as the villainous Vikings vied for glory, treachery emerged. Was the kindly king really the good guy? Was Guinevere happy to be a human trophy, or had consultation with her about this slipped from the “to do” list? These and more questions added story and theatre to what would have otherwise been just a wrestling show.
If you like your theatre on the artistic side, then this likely isn’t the grail for you. But it is perfectly tailored for families and kids, many of whom cheered voraciously for Viking or Knight. The simple, action-packed narrative makes it highly accessible for younger audiences and those looking for a casual, fun outing, bordering on the bogan side of Fringe. And that’s not criticism, more of a classification tool for those who wear their bogan-status loud and proud. Ultimately, “A Knight to Remember” thrives in creating a high-energy, family-friendly environment and is best enjoyed with a cheering crowd and an expectation of unpretentious entertainment.
This medieval-meets-wrestling mashup received a 10-star-out-of-five rating from date number one and, not to be outdone (much in the spirit of the show), the other one gave it 11 stars. I do have bad news for the cast, though – the overall star rating had dropped to a nine by the time the boys had reached the car. They’ll consider lifting it back to 10 and 11 respectively should you introduce real swords and perhaps cannons in the next one.
Reviewed by Samantha Bond
Venue: The Peacock at Gluttony
Season: 28 February – 10 March
Duration: 60 min
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