The Lowry, Salford – until 15th September 2018.
Reviewed by Sarah Cockerill
5*****
On the back of the roaring success of The Play That Goes Wrong, Best New Comedy at the Laurence Olivier awards of 2015, Mischief Theatre Company have brought a new side-splitting show to the nation’s stages. After premiering in the West End’s Criterion Theatre in 2016 to critical acclaim, The Comedy About a Bank Robbery is touring the UK.
Set in 1958 Minneapolis, The Comedy About a Bank Robbery is a farcical flit through the tale of a botched bank job, cleverly written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields. From the opening scene, the lively script captivates the audience and a clever use of physical comedy combined with a relentless reel of one liners will have your jaw aching.
The characters are cleverly entwined in a plot to steal a half a million-dollar diamond which is set to spend a week in the charge of Robin Freeboys (Damian Lynch), failing manager of the much maligned Minneapolis City Bank. “Everyone’s a crook in this town”, we’re warned by Ruth Monaghan (Ashley Tucker) and no truer word is spoken in a script full of lies, deceit, fraud and foul play.
However central the diamond is to this plot, it is difficult to determine the jewel in this cast where every actor’s talent is showcased, each playing a number of roles wonderfully and delivering punchline after hilarious punchline. Just when you think the show cannot reach new heights, Freeboys (Damian Lynch) and Warren Slax (Jon Trenchard) scale the walls of the slick staging. Literally.
Mischief Theatre use a curious range of props to tell their story, from laundry baskets to office chairs to large moustaches, brought to life with ingenuity, clever lighting and the foot-tapping musical sound of 1950s America. With every giggle, guffaw and roar of laughter, the show demands that you tell your friends about it.
The Comedy About a Bank Robbery is running at The Lowry, Salford, until Saturday 15th September, before embarking on a nation-wide tour which runs until Spring 2019. Get some tickets and have a wonderful night!