If you’re looking for the best all around entertainment for your dollar, don’t overlook Branson's Hamner Barber Variety Show. And, don’t let the title “variety show” scare you away. Unlike other shows I’ve attended who overwork variety from the stand point of trying to be all things to all people, Dave Hamner and his wife Denise, along with Jim Barber give you the laugh you’re looking for and the wonder that only magic can provide. Other than a few awkward dance routines that appear to be done to help with transitions between Barber’s side-splitting antics to the suspense of the Hamner’s trickery, this show is fast paced enough to keep my 5 year old captivated and to prevent me the time to think that its anything short of fantastic.A small cast in a quaint but very modern theater, the Hamner Barber Variety Show in Branson certainly doesn’t come across as low budget. Hamner and Barber, themselves, are authentic and clearly love doing what they do. Interaction with the audience certainly makes each show unique and in a town where entertainment tends to follow a model, this show breaks the mold. The show did stumble into intermission as Hamner and Barber bantered with each other on stage in an attempt to sell their goods, but they are genuine enough you really just see a couple guys trying to make a living doing something they enjoy. If there were a Top 10 list for Branson, this show would be on it.
