Black Comedy at Orange Tree Theatre Review
Photo: Sam Taylor
Written by Greta for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review. All views are our own
No one does revivals better than the Orange Tree Theatre. Their production of Black Comedy follows a spectacular year of sleek restorations of material from the past, including Hedda and The Rivals, upholding the high-quality standards I’ve come to expect from their programming.
Simon Daw’s vibrant and playful set design welcomes us into the space and sets the mood for the evening, preparing us for something quite eccentric and exciting. No amount of preparation, though, could stop you laughing out loud during the course of this performance.
Young sculptor Brindsley Miller and his fiancée Carol Melkett await in trepidation the visit of Mr. Bamberger, a millionaire interested in viewing, and potentially purchasing, Brindley’s creations. That same evening, the couple is also expecting Carol’s father, Colonel Melkett – an old-fashioned, fiercely protective military man – supposed to give his blessing to their engagement. In order to impress the two guests, Brindsley and Carol have stolen some refined furniture from their wealthier neighbour, Mr. Gorringe, who is away from town. If this already looks like a recipe for disaster, wait until a fuse blows and the house is suddenly plunged in complete darkness.
Caroline Steinbeis’s direction is deft and full of irony, showing a masterful grip on all the key elements that make this play humorous and appealing. Securing such a strong cast goes a long way; specifically, Joe Bannister is outstanding in the leading role of Brindsley, delivering some of the best physical comedy I’ve seen in years. The character of Clea, despite not being the most developed on paper, is rescued by Patricia Allison’s magnetic charm and astounding stage presence; while Jason Barnett’s genuinely hilarious instincts for line delivery only highlight the comedic potential of Colonel Melkett. Simon Manyonda is brilliant as Harold Gorringe, infusing the character with hilarious neurosis and arresting sympathy.
The actors-director team appears committed, at ease, and on the same page, making a show with a hundred, terribly difficult, moving parts look effortless. This fruitful collaboration between creatives can be seen in the precision of the comedic timing as well, with lines consistently landing sharply and surprisingly. The audience clearly has a lot of fun too; we are active participants in the unfolding farce, and lend our warmth back to the cast. In a skilled writer’s hand, there would be potential for an adaptation beyond comedy of errors and slapstick, exploring more deeply some of the now-sketched themes of identity (real and performed), perception, and the messiness of interpersonal relationships, whether romantic or platonic; until then, the OT’s Black Comedy is an impossibly smooth must-watch that thoroughly entertains.
Black Comedy is playing at the Orange Tree Theatre until the 11th of July
★★★★
