Rating: ★★★
Venue: Adelphi Theatre, London
Mischief’s most critically acclaimed adventure THE COMEDY ABOUT SPIES is back, with a limited 8-week mission recommencing this summer in London’s West End at the Adelphi Theatre.
When a rogue British agent pilfers plans for a top-secret weapon, CIA and KGB spies converge on London’s Piccadilly Hotel in pursuit of the elusive file. ‘Abandon yourself to the madness’ (The Times) and join a clueless young couple, a hapless actor angling for an exciting spy movie role, and enough double agents to confuse even the sharpest operative, in a mission that’s hilariously out of control.
Mischief Theatre launched back in 2008 and have been a staple of comedy in London's West End with hit shows such as The Play That Goes Wrong, Peter Pan Goes Wrong and Christmas Carol Goes Wrong. Back for another strictly limited season is another of their roaring successes, The Comedy About Spies, written by the unstoppable duo Henry Shields and Henry Lewis.
The production is set in 1960's London, during the Cold War and the hunt is on for top-secret files from Project Midnight. Agents from the CIA, MI6 and the KGB all collude at the Piccadilly Hotel to intercept the files, but along the way unsuspecting hotel guests are swept into the drama, and some may even find themselves becoming part of the mission itself.
Henry Lewis (Douglas Woodbead) and David Hearn (Lance Buchanan) provided the most natural moments of laughter for me. Making comedy seem effortless, they repeatedly have the audience in the palm of their hands. However, the entire cast were utterly faultless and the comedic timing throughout with the material provided was exceptional. With Mischief Theatre's legion of dedicated fans, there's no doubt they'll love this addition to the franchise.
The set design from David Farley is undoubtedly the most impressive aspect of the production providing a multitude of locations within the hotel that seamlessly transition in the blink of an eye. Everything about the staging itself feels grand and luxurious, which is precisely the vibe the hotel needs.
If you know anything about Mischief Theatre, you'll know that they focus heavily on slapstick comedy, farce, as well as physical humour. In plays like The Play That Goes Wrong, this works exceptionally well and it doesn't feel overused or worn-out, however that isn't the case for The Comedy About Spies and there are several sections that feel too drawn out, or stilted by overuse and repetition of jokes.
The pacing should feel fast, especially considering the two-hour running time (minus the interval). However, at times it feels as though the narrative takes a backseat for the same jokes to be reused, which is a shame considering how much I've enjoyed the previous works from Mischief Theatre.
If you're looking for light-hearted, ridiculously chaotic fun, then look no further than The Comedy About Spies. But if you're expecting the calibre of previous Mischief shows, it may feel a little lacklustre.
You can book tickets to The Comedy About Spies, here.
**photo credit: Helen Maybanks**
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