Review: JURASSIC, Soho Theatre

Photo credit: Chris Payne

Winner of the 2017 Bruntwood Prize, Tim Foley’s latest comedy tackles the hot topic of conspiracy and fake news within the world of academia. Jurassic hinges around a catalysing event that sounds like a sketch – the new dean of an anonymous university abolishes the palaeontology department after watching Jurassic Park and believing it to be a documentary.

It is an amusing premise that Foley spins out into a satirical jibe at the commercialisation of education in universities. Foley’s script under Piers Black’s direction occasionally stumbles on its way to finding its feet. Although some of dry humour and wordplay connects with a knee-slapping wallop, the first act in particular struggles to lift itself from the rhythm of a Monty Python sketch.

Matt Holt is hilariously bizarre as Dean the dean (which might give you a flavour of some of the humour in this show), opposite his more grounded foil, Alastair Michael. An inevitable consequence of the subject matter, this show is cyclical and the cast seem occasionally constricted by the immovability of their characters, locked as they are in an impossible stalemate of subjective truths. As a result, the show struggles to build up momentum and stakes, with some of the energy faltering at point.

Catja Hamilton’s atmospheric lighting plays inventively with shadows and handheld lights, although the balance is occasionally way off, with almost entire scenes plunged entirely into darkness, visibility and performance is sacrificed for gimmicky lighting choices.

Yandass Ndlovu’s movement direction is worthy of applause, helping to transform the players into raptors stalking the stage.

This is an entertaining show, rich in knotty power plays. Foley’s script begins to pick at the ways in which arguments are spun and truths are warped, and it would be interesting to see how this show develops as it has a real grain of greatness.

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Livvy Perrett

Jurassic plays at London’s Soho Theatre until 29 November, with further info here.