@ King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sat 9 May 2015
The aptly titled Mischief Theatre bring this outstanding manic comedy to the King’s Theatre with their spoof pantomime. Performing as the fake amateur dramatic company The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society (complete with fake bios in the programme), the show follows the disastrous turn of events that take place as the society attempts to present J.M. Barrie’s classic children’s tale on the stage.
The show gets things off to a fitfully amusing start as various cast members wander around the auditorium having a chat to the audience as they take their seats. This already relaxes the audience and paves the way for the uproarious comedy that follows. The show is literally a laugh a minute for its entire running time. The large cast (that includes those performing as the Cornley technicians) bolt around the stage and handle the misdemeanors that plague the production with expertly handled comic timing. As sets collapse on the actors at various points, there’s costume malfunctions, lighting disasters, props going missing and a revolving set that seems to have a life of its own. Not to mention the wild and varied acting choices of the actors that don’t always fit appropriately with the material and a diva director who is intent that it’s not a pantomime.
This is a downright hilarious comedy. A wild, wacky fast paced spoof that has the auditorium in a complete state of never-ending laughter. If the odd joke here and there misses its mark, it’s followed soon after by a tirade of funnies that will have you creased over. The cast are perfect at convincing the audience that everything that happens on the stage isn’t actually supposed to happen. The choreography of the onslaught of disasters is performed impeccably and makes this the must-see slapstick comedy of the year.