The thought of combining Latin and comedy may not strike you as a match made in heaven but it obviously seemed like a good idea to Alex Horne and he’s desperate to make it work.
Based on the Fighting Fantasy books, When In Rome is essentially a Latin game show that endeavours to resurrect the flagging language by injecting a healthy dose of fun into the proceedings. By enlisting the help of the delightful Tim Key, utilising enough IT aids to keep Dave Gorman happy and employing his own gentle sense of humour, Horne is definitely taking steps in the right direction but it’s sad to say that this show doesn’t do quite enough to make a dead language exciting.
While Horne has developed some wonderful conceits and woven in a bunch of delightful touches, When In Rome doesn’t quite work hard enough at engaging the audience’s interest. Okay, people are paying attention but the pace is slightly off and there are a number of lulls that disrupt the action. Part of this is down to the interaction of the audience, which occasionally has to be forced, but a lot is due to the nature of the show. While the starts and stops echo the concept of the gaming novels, they jar against the flow of entertainment and force a detachment from the narrative.
Horne has to be given a lot of credit for his innovation but this show definitely needs a little bit of polishing before it truly zings. That said, I got an A in his exam, so I’m happy!
Overall, When In Rome is a three-star show but, with a bit of work, it could be an excellent four.
3/5
Richard Biggs
