Review of Alarms and Excursions
 | "Damn that noisy modern technology!" by Lesley Pinder for remotegoat on 13/02/09 |  |
Four actors perform over twenty roles with impeccable coming timing and flawless accent changes. Making some of the characters Antipodeans, as some of the cast members actually are, is an inspired turn as their cultural interpretations of situations add another level of humour to Michael Frayn's already hilarious words.
The cast are brilliant - all equally deserving of praise for their boundless energy and hugely funny performances. Electronic sound effects are interspersed throughout the play and the actors bounce off them with such effortless ease that at times it feels like there is a fifth cast member in the play, the sound effects themselves.
The fight to exist peacefully alongside modern technology is a universally understood one - who hasn't struggled to find where an unknown beep in the house is coming from, or torn their hands to shreds trying to open a bottle of wine with a new fandangled "less strenuous" bottle opener? We all have. We can all relate to trying to live out domestic relationships in harmony with all manner of gadgets and we all know how wrong it can go. I feel much better now that I've learnt that I'm not the only one who has a kitchen drawer full of instruction booklets for gadgets I threw out years ago. I'm not alone.
"Alarms and Excursions" is a fantastic and polished production. It is one of those rare cases where a great script merges with a talented cast and original direction and forms a little gem.
Go and see it.
| Event Venues & Times | |
| finished | Brockley Jack Theatre | 410 Brockley Road, Brockley, London, SE4 2DH |
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