Reviews

Alas, I was a little disappointed. For me, and for several other members of the sell-out Thursday night audience, it turned out to be very much a show of two halves.

The first-half opened excellently with the lighting effects contributing to a realistic-looking and funny 'silent movie' sequence. However, after that it didn't seem to achieve those heights again as the cast of three explained to the audience the show format which involved the shooting of a film. 

As always with the RSC, the writing was by turns witty, topical, clever and funny, but the various sketches didn't flow smoothly together and at times the humour seemed somehow contrived. Indeed there were several places where a sketch ended suddenly in a blackout, but the audience were uncertain whether or not to applaud.

After the interval it was totally different and made for a much funnier performance. A faster pace, many more apparent ad-libs and mistakes, and the use of a member of the audience as a body double for the star of the film. At the start of the show the whole audience were warned that they were to be 'the extras' in the making of the imaginary film. The fulfillment of this in the final sequence of the show was hilarious. The entire front row were called up on stage to literally be 'the extras' in the final scene of 'the film' and the remainder of us were called on to create 'Mexican waves' around the theatre.

My only real gripe with the whole experience would yet again be the deafening volume of some of the music and effects, which was totally unnecessary in the small Wolsey auditorium. At times the level difference between these sounds and the performers unamplified voices made understanding the dialogue difficult.

All in all, an enjoyable night out, if not as face-achingly funny as I had anticipated.