I went to the Royal Court tonight to see "Dumb Show", mainly to make sure that it wasn't some revival of the unsuccessful 1992 Edinburgh sketch show that I appeared in with Lee, Marber, Coogan and Munnery. I feared that the others had resurrected the show (Lee and Marber having overcome their extreme artistic differences) and replaced me. Maybe with a plastic bag filled with helium and put on a bit of dirty string.
It turned out that my realistic fear were unfounded. It was actually a three-hander play about a prime-time comedy star who is caught up in a journalistic sting. Though as an encore they did do our sketch about a society for people called Ian, but I saw this more as an homage than a direct steal and the helium filled plastic bag was actually much better than I would have been. I am big enough to admit that.
It's another recommend from me though for any of you who get a chance to see it (though I have slightly spoiled one of the lesser twists of the piece already). I wondered if the journalist characters were a little bit too conniving and evil, but thinking about it the people who actually do this kind of stuff in real life must be similarly self-obsessed and self-delusional. Or simply just don't care about anything except themselves.
The acting was great, especially from Douglas Hodge, who really got the idiosyncracies of the real life persona of an annoying comedian down to a tee. He manages to suggest about ten different real life people all at the same time, but his constant attempts to be amusing and putting on stupid voices are spot on. Great acting and great writing also.
It was great to see how much was achievable with so few characters on one set and it really made me want to get back into writing plays again. And there have been some snufflings of interest in me writing something recently, so you never know. I am certainly going to endeavour to get out and see more stuff.
You know going to the theatre is an excellent way to spend your evenings.
Hey, talking of which, don't forget that I am performing at the New Ambassador's Theatre on Saturday night (details in gig guide). Please book ahead to avoid disappointment (though admittedly this will be MY disappointment. Let's just say there are a few tickets left).
