REVIEW | Drop Dead, Drayton Arms Theatre
Written by Cathie
Disclaimer: gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of this very dark comedy is simple: One Funeral. Six Strangers. A million-dollar inheritance is at stake. Planning the rehearsal for his funeral, Mr Bebach thought uniting the ghosts from the past seemed like a good idea. But sometimes it really is best to take things to your grave. Leaving no gravestone unturned, how far are they willing to get one final favour from a dead man?
Fresh off a highly successful run at Edinburgh Fringe this show suits the dark theatre space at the Drayton Arms rather well in dark January. When you walk into the space you are confronted with a large sealed coffin and all the accoutrements of a typical middle-class funeral. The set props work very well to add depth to the scenes portrayed. The character of Will Bebach is experiencing his own funeral ahead of time. He is never seen but whose Timon of Athens-styled altruism casts a long shadow over the events of the play. The six cast members are quickly introduced and the battle lines are even more swiftly drawn than in an Agatha Christie novel. Penelope Anastasia (Madeleine Clark) the young glamorous second wife referred to as ‘Penas’ clashes with the mature Celeste (Flo Lunnon), a scheming medium who views vodka as their main spiritual connection. Their complexity is contrasted with sweet groundskeeper Alistair (Paddy Court), a simple northerner who just wants to keep the garden at its best. The youngest characters are artistic Sam (Tara Farquhar) who has a romantic past with another character and her sweet but dimwitted twin Ralph (Noah Tucker). The final character who rounds out the cast is Gareth (Alexander Bittar) a very bitter electrician and supposed former best friend of Will.
The cast work together commendably well and have strong chemistry. They enact some of the more physical comedic moments with grace and strength. Clark and Bittar are definite standouts in this play they have created and definitely succeed in propelling the key events along the most. The costuming of the characters worked very well to accentuate and emphasise the character’s attitudes and key moments in the plot. The plot line itself is brisk and develops fairly quickly. The witty puns, sarcastic swipes and ironic one liners made me laugh loudly and often. Throughout the show, the characters predictably break down into greedy squabbling over the inheritance. However, some plot twists are easily predictable and others are refreshing, such as Sam and ‘Penas’ interactions. My favourite scene was definitely when the inner thoughts of ‘Penas’ and Sam were narrated for the audience to hear. It was definitely an inventive way of showcasing the character’s motivations and felt fresh and invigorating.
The pacing is slightly off in the short second half and the storyline’s conclusions feel very rushed towards the end with a macabre twist that was fairly obvious from the very beginning. It is definitely one of the liveliest funerals I’ve ever seen portrayed in theatre. However, if you’re a lover of dark British comedies with clever puns and outrageous characters then this is the show for you.
At Drayton Arms Theatre until 6 January.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
