Golden Goose Theatre – until 4 October 2025
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
5*****
Wit? Theatre Company debut with a hilarious take on the story of Robert Catesby and his lesser-known accomplice Guy Fawkes.
If Operation Mincemeat and Six had a child, that deranged offspring would be Remember, Remember! Full of musical theatre and reality TV references, this comedy musical has plotting, espionage, double crossing, fangirling, heroes, divas… and a medical procedure that will haunt your dreams.
As Robert (Kluane Saunders) plots to end King James’s persecution of the Catholics, the arrival of the charismatic bombshell Guy (Lucy Buncombe) stirs excitement amongst the other conspirators – especially Andy (Tom O’Kelly). As Robert begrudgingly goes along with Guy’s tweaking of his own plot, he is sent to spy on King James (Ross Tomlinson), leading him to doubt his murderous plans. That sounds quite historical, but this is one of the most unhinged hours of theatre you’ll ever see. The talented actors/writers/producers don brown cloaks as Stuarts to provide increasingly camp and catty narration between scenes and have a ball as the major characters. Tomlinson is hilarious as the horny King James and Tom O’Kelly steals the show as his diva wife. The writing is both razor sharp and very silly, the song lyrics are ridiculous and catchy, and the physical comedy and attention to detail is wonderful under Alex Pritchett’s confident direction. Full of camp musical numbers (expertly played by MD Isabella Guilar on the piano) covering a multitude of musical styles, the deranged but highly accurate recount of The Gunpowder Plot is an irreverent and chaotic delight.
This show is the bomb!