REVIEW | Good Luck, Studio - Mercury Theatre

Photo credit: Pamela Raith

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★★

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Written by Eliott Shep

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A piece of theatre that has always inspired me due to its exceptional and impossible writing is Michael Frayn's Noises Off; the way Frayn created a setting where we see the action go from on to off stage, set over the same timeframe in the form of the first act of a show, is how I imagine Henry Shields took inspiration from when writing Good Luck, Studio. There are subtle hints that we can compare between the two, and both excel in ramping up tension and emotion as stakes are raised, with the genre of farce explored in its purest form. 

In Good Luck, Studio, which is very aptly named once you are aware of the true meaning and emphasis behind the title, Pam, Elizabeth, Anthony, and Toby have just one hour to film 16 pages for the final recording of Wibble The Dragon, a satirical Kids TV Programme, whilst under the watchful eye of the production crew above. Inspired casting throughout sees veteran Mischief Comedy (London and UK Tour) players doing what Mischief do best, playing for laughs and physical comedy. Greg Tannihill as Medic Kevin steals the show particularly in the second act with a masterful 15 minutes of slapstick, with minimal dialogue, that has us in hysterics, as his love for building Airfix Models gets himself in a sticky situation, to say the least. 

Then you have Tom Walker, who most will know as Political Satire figure Jonathan Pie. Here he plays the obnoxious TV Director Andy. Now this casting amongst all might seem the most peculiar, but with Mercury Theatre housing this world premiere before the show goes on tour, this stint will most likely attract Mischief Comedy fans in its masses wanting to be the very first people to see their favourites on stage, so seeing someone new to the gang like Walker playing this misogynistic character against the innocence of Eboni Dixon's Pam, a puppeteer on Wibble The Dragon, brings such realism. It also makes us uncomfortable, without any previous judgement of characters he may have played if he was a part of the fabric that is Mischief Comedy. 

This is where Henry Shields' writing proves most that whilst the comedy holds tight throughout. This acts as a stark reminder of the real world, and the sorts of men who think they hold so much power being at the top of the chain, belittling those who undermine them, something which happens on the regular here. With age guidance of 14+, it's these moments that have inspired that choice. Gareth Tempest in particular is chilling in a role that saying too much about his character or motive will spoil the element of surprise, but he's captivating in this role, and playing off Chris Leak, Tom Walker, and Bryony Corrigan in particular, he commands every scene. 

Now where Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong excels in character tropes and already fleshed-out childhood characters, is sadly where Good Luck, Studio falls.

Creating brand new characters, especially with a cast of ten, and throwing them all in the mix of a 2 Hour 15 Minute production is a hefty doing, and whilst the already aforementioned Andy and Kevin are fleshed out, others do fall into the background. I feel we lose a rounded conclusion from all on stage. It's a real shame, but overall it's a solid outing from this formidable company that always knows how to stage the unpredictable.

Make sure you listen to Eliott's fantastic podcast, The Stagey Place