THE LOWRY, SALFORD – UNTIL 5 FEBRUARY 2022
REVIEWED BY ANGELOS SPANTIDEAS
4****
The Play What I Wrote is a comedy that is designed around the classic duo comedian pairing with a twist and has been recognised since its inception winning two Olivier Awards, for Best Comedy and Best Supporting Actor. The requirements for a play as such are simple, yet timeless: jokes, gigs and tons of physical comedy and the Play That I Wrote hits the mark every single time with Dennis Herdman and Thom Tuck having the most amazing energy on stage complemented perfectly by the supporting act, Mitesh Soni.
The Play That I Wrote is based on the premise of two comedians who both have different interests, with Dennis wanting to keep on touring as a comedic duo and Thom, disappointed from not being the funnier one, wanting to put on stage his latest original piece about the French Revolution. However, with Arthur pretending to be a certain theatre paragon, David Pugh, offering them £5,000, Dennis is conniving to persuade Thom to put on a Morecambe and Wise tribute act, leading to a series of acts that bring Arthur to impersonating not only David Pugh, but also Scarlett Johanson which is as hilarious as it sounds.
The play is very well known for having a twist in the second act, where a very famous guest makes an appearance as themselves joining the original production of Thom for the entirety of the second act, only to be joked about and misnamed by Thom and Dennis which brings another level of absurdity to the stage and ensures that the second half of the play is even more hilarious and ridiculous. The guest for the night was the brilliant Charles Dance whose seriousness and natural ability to command the stage create a contrast to the silliness of the rest of the cast, which accentuates even more the comical nature of the play.
The Play What I Wrote is a family friendly comedy, packed with jokes with the three actors, singing, dancing and showing comedic excellence which is rewarded by an audience that does not stop laughing for the entirety of the play.