Despite the eternal debate of whether Die Hard counts as a Christmas movie, it is undeniably the best film to watch during the festive season. Nothing screams ‘Happy Holidays!’ like excessive amounts of blood, swearing and Christmassy one-liners.

Richard Marsh’s Yippee Ki Yay, a parody of Die Hard, skilfully combines all these elements. With a one-man cast and a minimalist set, Marsh takes on the roles of director, producer, and actor all at once. He jokes that the show’s set design and limited props stems from ‘budget constraints,’ before distributing just three Ferrero Rochers to the audience.

Marsh is an entertaining and funny performer, commanding the stage and the audience’s attention for the show’s entirety, never missing a beat. Yippee Ki Yay explores Marsh’s relationship with his wife, Jen, and their love that began with a shared appreciation of Die Hard. Between fight scenes with teddy bears and an alarmingly good Alan Rickman impression, tender reflections upon his marriage and the impact of having children are dotted throughout.

The first ‘production’ of Yippee Ki Yay began as Marsh’s attempt to reconnect with his wife. He rewrites the ending of Die Hard, alluding to a criticism Jen makes when they first meet. This contrasts his loyalty to the film’s iconic moments throughout, highlighting his desire to change and repair his marriage, with this added character growth of John McClane reflecting Marsh’s own.

While Marsh’s decision to tell the story in verse may not appeal to everyone, it is certainly impressive that he manages to switch characters, accents and scenes, all while (mostly) sticking to a strict AAB rhyme scheme. The poetry aspect of the production also adds a personal element, as Marsh explores his relationship with poetry and how Jen motivates him to share it publicly. The development from nervously sharing a poem at his wedding to confidently standing in front of a packed theatre is heart-warming.

Paying excellent homage to Die Hard, Yippee Ki Yay manages to reference all the iconic scenes, lines and moments from the film. From McClane’s tank top growing increasingly dirty as tensions build, to the iconic fall of Hans Gruber, Marsh touches upon them all. However, Die Hard’s most famed moment is the absence of McClane’s shoes and despite discussing this, Marsh tells the audience he will be keeping his shoes on ‘for the sake of the front row.’

Disregarding the generosity of this decision, perhaps Marsh should invest in better foot hygiene, since a flimsy excuse for removing his shoes would have been the cherry on top for Die Hard’s die-hard fans.

Rating: 4/5

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