Time travel is real! At least, that is what they expect you to believe at The Park Theatre and this new production (very) loosely based on the timeless classic. H.G. Wells’ Great Great Grandson has discovered, by accident, that the book written by his famous ancestor is not fiction as we have been led to believe, and is in fact, fact. ‘Verbatim’ theatre ensues, and the actors show exactly the conversations they had when the discovery was made, leading to moments of absolute hilarity.
Steven Canny and John Nicholson have once again created a hit show, after their success with The Hound of the Baskervilles, using their incredibly witty writing style to deliver a script that it fast paced, slick and easy to follow.
The three actors were quite simply a triumph. Dave Hearn, Amy Revelle and Michael Dylan managed to deliver this show superbly. The skill needed to deliver a production of this style is immense and they made it look easy. The best comedy always comes from a point of realism and the realness that each of these three phenomenal actors brought to their roles made the show what it is.
Orla O’Loughlin did an excellent job in directing such a manic fast-paced show and managed to make it coherent for the audience, allowing them to keep up with the laughter. It is not easy to make a very complex production look simple and basic, but the expert direction delivered this in abundance.
This farcical show can only be described as utterly insane from beginning to end. However, it is key to note that the insanity of the show is what makes it insanely funny. With an incredibly clever script, fantastic actors, wonderful direction and a superb level of audience interaction, this is a show that can’t be missed!
It runs until 30 December.
Review: Joshua Thompson Photo: Manuel Harlan