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Worth a Flutter – 2 Stars

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Flutter

Worth a Flutter

Hope Theatre

Reviewed – 8th May 2018

★★

“a clunky affair that shows potential one minute and turns to being unbearable to watch the next”

 

Being above a pub to watch the Cockney caper, Worth A Flutter, seems a rather appropriate setting. The play may take place mostly in the local caff, and in South London, but it could quite easily be a scene in the Queen Vic, in an episode of Eastenders. I should feel guilty going straight for the working-class London play/Eastenders comparison, however, the fact that this production is filled with gender and social stereotypes I feel it only deserves some pigeonholing itself. A dark comedy that examines the love lives of a select group of Londoners, Michael Head’s Worth A Flutter is a clunky affair that shows potential one minute and turns to being unbearable to watch the next.

Aforementioned, the play is set in and around the comings and goings of a greasy spoon in Bermondsey. Following the romantic troubles of Matt (played by Head himself) and Sam (Jack Harding), both trying to pursue café waitress, Helen (Clare McNamara), neither party knows they’re in a race for Helen’s affections. Both men are in loveless relationships and whilst drowning their sorrows in cups of tea and brown sauce, find comfort, laughter and sparks with the down-to-earth, easy to talk to waitress.

The first half sees Matt’s story take centre stage, reminiscing to the audience about his past failures with women in his cheeky chappy manner. Generally the first fifty minutes submits to most of the bawdy and blokey humour (a Scottish talking penis says it all), which found some laughs, but only a slight chuckle at most from myself. After the interval gives way to a more thoughtful and affecting change of pace as Sam is provided a chance to explain his story. Harding and McNamara give credible turns as Sam and Helen, offering the most genuine and heart-felt performances of the play, as they tackle the topics of domestic abuse and the hardships of marriage with sincerity. Scenes between the two of them are certainly the most engaging.

Michael Head has based many of the characters and plot lines on the friends and family members of his own life, which makes for criticising the at times sexist, and most certainly caricatured humour that more difficult, as it is founded on real life. Head tries to make up for this by having the protagonists call attention to the other characters vulgarity, not condoning their behaviour, but nevertheless, it lacks the heart and likeability needed to counterbalance the coarse humour.

The actors do a fine job at persevering and making the most out of the script. Reading between the lines, you can see where Head is trying to take this, but his execution for the majority is off point. The quirky abstract scenes have good intentions but fall flat, whilst the theme of life being a race filled with betting stakes could be heightened further. All in all, Worth A Flutter is not a horse that I would be putting my money on.

 

Reviewed by Phoebe Cole

 


Worth a Flutter

Hope Theatre until 19th May

 

Related
Previously reviewed at this venue
My Gay Best Friend | ★★★★★ | January 2018
Foul Pages | ★★★ | February 2018
Cream Tea & Incest  | ★★★★ | April 2018

 

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CREAM TEA AND INCEST

★★★★

The Hope Theatre

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CREAM TEA AND INCEST at The Hope Theatre

★★★★

Incest

“a well written piece of fast moving satire “

 

Walking into the Hope Theatre I was a little unsettled about the content of the play I was coming to see. The title of ‘Cream Tea and Incest’ is slightly misleading as it is about neither. What it is though, is a very funny and well crafted production presented by four exceptionally talented actors. Written by and featuring Benjamin Alborough, the play has nods to Jeeves and Wooster in that a rather gormless, but optimistic member of the landed gentry embarks on a series of adventures with his intelligent and loyal valet Jeffrey. Along the way they meet a cast of outrageous characters and experience adventure, murder, romance and some very interesting dancing.

The audience is greeted by seeing Eddie Spangler, (Alborough) respondent in shorts and a barbershop striped jacket, seemingly asleep on a chair that is essentially the main prop on the stage area. Behind him is an interesting wall with artefacts made from corrugated cardboard. It is however, described by Alborough as an effective 2.5 dimensional set. Two of the other characters are within the audience and slowly make themselves known.

The basic story is that Lord Wiggins is set to inherit Rhodesia upon his marriage to the off stage Emily Rhodes but their romance is faltering so Eddie and Jeffrey set out to deal with Wiggins as quickly and violently as possible. Meanwhile the evil Lord Biggins lurks in the shadows with schemes of his own.

The cast of four have clearly worked hard to hone this piece into a sharp and well crafted one. Benjamin Alborough plays Spangler with style; Aidan Cheng is excellent as Wiggins and is also exceptionally funny playing the northern policeman. Edward Spence often steals the stage as the evil Biggins and Eoin McAndrew is the perfect straight man Jeffrey.

This is a fast moving production, driven along by director Benedict Philipp, with a storyline which on occasions did seem a little difficult to follow – but the gags came one after the other to make this a most enjoyable hour at the theatre. Special mention should go to Holly Ellis’ lighting plan that managed to keep up with the requirements of the frenetic pace of the play. The actors seemed to enjoy the play as much as the audience and their hilarious dance routine prompted spontaneous applause. It was brilliantly choreographed by Hector Mitchell Turner and executed to perfection.

The evening had a feel of Edinburgh Fringe about it. In fact the show had a sell out run at the 2017 festival and is booked to return there for a three week run later this year. It is without doubt a well written piece of fast moving satire with perfect comedic timing from an energetic and competent cast. It is a marvellous, though bonkers, anarchic comedy that deserves a sell out run in London.

 

Reviewed by Steve Sparrow

Reviewed – 12th April 2018

Photography by Olivia Rose Deane

 


Cream Tea & Incest

Hope Theatre until 28th April

 

 

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