Review: THE COMEDY ABOUT SPIES, Adelphi Theatre
Photo credit: Helen Maybanks
If you’re looking for a brilliant night out and a show that delivers plenty of laughs, The Comedy About Spies is an easy recommendation. Mischief have taken the familiar world of espionage and turned it into another gloriously chaotic comedy, with British and Russian agents, mistaken identities and increasingly ridiculous situations all colliding in a London hotel.
The comedy is relentless, with one-liners, ridiculous situations and perfectly timed moments (such as the body) keeping the laughs coming throughout. There is something particularly enjoyable about a show that doesn't take itself too seriously, and The Comedy About Spies embraces that wholeheartedly. The humour feels very much like Mischief at their best - silly, clever and completely committed to the joke.
The cast are perfectly suited to the material. The comedic timing is spot on, with reactions often being just as funny as the jokes themselves. There is a real sense of familiarity between the performers, which is unsurprising given how long many of them have worked together. It is also clear that they are still having fun onstage together. That enjoyment is infectious and makes the chaos on stage even more entertaining.
The set is another particular highlight. Four rooms are visible at the same time, allowing the action to move seamlessly between different groups of characters without needing to pause while the scene changes. It is difficult to imagine the production working quite as effectively with a more traditional set, as being able to see all four spaces simultaneously allows the audience to follow the different strands of the story and watch the chaos develop in parallel. Often, the comedy comes from seeing something happening in one room while knowing what is about to unfold in another.
There is a reassuring familiarity to the whole production. Fans of Mischief's previous work will recognise their trademark combination of physical comedy, perfectly timed reactions and situations that spiral increasingly out of control. The production knows exactly what it wants to be and never feels the need to overcomplicate things.
The result is a show that delivers exactly what it promises: a very funny, uncomplicated night of theatrical entertainment. For anyone wanting a couple of hours of escapism and plenty of laughs, this is Mischief doing what they do best.
Espionage has never been this silly!
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Frances Tate
