As I am not aware of too many others, calling this show THE Comedy About a Bank Robbery is probably quite accurate, as there is indeed a bank robbery and there is no doubt at all that this is an incredibly funny comedy – so full marks for the title.
In fact, full marks for the entire production as everyone involved, cast, crew, designers, producers and the superb writers, have put together a completely crazy, stupendously slapstick, impeccably timed and thoroughly entertaining piece which has the packed house at the Congress Theatre laughing out loud from start to finish.
Unlike Mischief Theatre’s previous productions, The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong, this tale is not set in an inept amateur dramatics group, this is the tale of some inept bank robbers instead and, like it’s predecessors, the success of the production lies both in the clever wordplay and the split second timing of the stunts.
The show is based in the late 1950’s and, although the first scene takes place in a prison cell during a breakout, the action soon shifts to Minneapolis City Bank, where Prince Ludvig of Hungary is about to deposit the famous Maguvin Diamond, valued at half a million dollars – and where, because of the appalling security at that bank, just about everyone is just waiting to steal it.
Robin Freeboys (Damian Lynch) is the manager at the bank with Warren Slax (Jon Trenchard) his assistant, Ruth Monaghan (Ashley Tucker) the bank teller and the man from the FBI, Officer Randall Shuck (Killian Macardle).
On the other side of the law are Ruth’s son Sam Monaghan (Sean Carey), a petty pickpocket, Bank manager’s daughter Caprice Freeboys (Julia Frith) who takes cheques from all of her suitors (and there are many), escaped convict Mitch Ruscitti (Liam Jeavons) and prison officer Neil Cooper (David Coomber), who assists with the aforementioned breakout.
Most of the other characters in the piece are played by Everyone Else (George Hannigan) because, yes, Everyone Else is the name of his character. His solo scene in act two, where he simultaneously plays three of Caprice’s suitors who are, quite literally, fighting over her, has to be seen to be believed.
Without wishing to spoil the surprise, that is not the only scene that is designed to baffle the senses as David Farley has created a set that is amazingly versatile and a real challenge to your perception of how theatre should appear.
This is a real laugh-a-minute show with madcap situations evolving throughout the piece and, just when you think it can’t get any crazier, they ramp up the comedy another notch and prove that there really is no limit to how silly they can be.
***** Five Stars