Theatre Review: The Play That Goes Wrong, Duchess Theatre

I’m always slightly dubious of comedies. I think this is probably because they’re actually harder to master than tragedies. I mean it’s pretty obvious if the audience sit stony faced in silence that your joke has fallen flat.

Image source

Mischief Theatre Company have chosen to tackle an even more difficult genre than straight up comedy: “deliberately dreadful drama” (FT). The art of this is to convince the audience that the collapsing walls, unconscious actresses and badly placed props are all the result of disastrous misfortune when in fact, of course they are the result of endless rehearsals and clever set design. This is meta-theatre at its most complex and effective.  And all in all, they got it pretty spot on. Posing as the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society performing a murder mystery play entitled ‘The Murder at Haversham Manor’, the cast’s battle to stay true to the plot despite the onslaught of mishaps and casualties was very amusing. My laughter was somewhat contained compared to my surrounding spectators whose sides were dangerously close to literally splitting at the sides, but nevertheless it made me smile, chortle and occasionally snort. At times it verges on the absurd and predictable, but it’s pleasantly enjoyable and stress-free to know what’s coming next – the definition of easy watching.

Nigel Hook’s set design is fantastically unreliable, falling apart at the seams just at the right moment (how coincidental!) and the cast’s performances are all very strong or rather, appropriately weak in the case of the only actress who is knocked out and replaced by a “stage hand” reading the script out of a book. Dave Hearn stands out as the smiling idiot who gets carried away by the applause as does Henry Shields (one of the plays co-writers alongside Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer) as the apologetic, deadpan director come inspector.

Image source

The joke does tire but thankfully by that time there’s an interval – a chance to step back into solemn, comfortable reality – and when the bell rings you’re ready to enter back into the hilarity of it all.

It’s well worth seeing and Friday’s probably the best night for it after a few post work drinks to loosen up the facial muscles.

For more reviews head to www.officialtheatre.com

Live Review: August Wilson’s ‘Fences’ (Duchess Theatre, London)

Lenny Henry has come a long way since the 1980s; with his days of slapstick comedy far behind him, he’s fast becoming a reputable name in serious theatre.

Lenny Henry the comedian in the 1980s

Following his critically acclaimed performance as Othello back in 2009, Henry has recently taken on the role of the bitter and wounded patriarch, Troy Maxson in August Wilson’s award-winning drama, ‘Fences’. Set in a period of barbed peace, between the Korean and Vietnam wars, ‘Fences’ is a story of domestic struggle and the fragmentation of man.

Although the play gets off to a fairly slow start as the family’s background is unravelled through a series of drunken, slurred exchanges between Troy (Henry) and fellow garbage collector, Jim Bono, the dialogue is strong and the entrance of new characters, namely Troy’s teenage son, Cory (Ashley Zhangazha),  soon accelerates the pace.

 

Henry’s performance is outstanding as the play sees Troy grow from a failed athlete to a despotic father who’s determined to crush his son’s dreams in the world of sport. Henry manages to make Troy truly repellant whilst also bringing warmth to the character, which forces the audience to perceive him with, if not compassion, at least pity. Tanya Moodie makes a similarly excellent and fiercely poignant performance as Rose (Troy’s wife).

Whilst all members of the cast have a secure tonal grasp of the Pittsburgh “Hill District” accent circa 1957, key parts of the dialogue are sometimes lost and replaced by generally effective, but occasionally stereotypical gestures. That said, the immense physical performances by all members of the cast deserves praise and makes for a very entertaining piece of theatre.

VERDICT: Dealing with issues of betrayal, resentment and racial discrimination, August Wilson’s play retains a universal power that is enhanced by the intimate setting of the Duchess Theatre and a uniformly excellent cast.

‘Fences’ runs until 14th September at the Duchess Theatre, London. You can buy tickets via the theatre’s box office or London Theatre Direct: http://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/1210/Fences-tickets.aspx