Spy Movie: The Play!, Above at Pleasance Courtyard Review
Written by Kerry McLaughlin for Theatre & Tonic
From the moment you walk up the stairs to the Above at Pleasance Courtyard, you are immediately pulled into the action of Spy Movie: The Play. The producer and writer of Spy Movie, which has now been made into a play due to budgetary problems, asks people if they carry cash as they find seats and if Gary (a random audience member) will invest in the script.
The main thing that stood out to me with this show was the use of props; it was reminiscent of Monty Python, especially the latter's use of coconut shells in Holy Grail. This is aided in the character’s continued effort to establish almost a mini show of what the play would look like if Gary does invest. This is heightened with the chaotic energy brought into the show by the cast, who make the words jump off the page, being able to maintain an astoundingly high level of comedic timing.
The influence of James Bond and the Ian Fleming books are prominent throughout the show without feeling like a copy and paste with some jokes added in for good measure. Those who created the play did their research, and it paid off, creating rip-roaring good time for all the family.
Spy Movie: The Play plays at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe until 25 August
★ ★ ★ ★
