Fast, furious and side-splittingly funny, THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY is a brilliantly funny farce full of inventiveness and fun
Following the phenomenal sell-out success of their multi-award-winning comedy THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, Mischief Theatre make a welcome return to Salford’s The Lowry with their latest West End smash hit THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY.
Set in 1950s Minneapolis, THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY follows escaped convict Mitch (Liam Jeavons) and his screwball sidekick Cooper (David Coomber) who have their eyes set on a priceless diamond held within the Minneapolis City Bank. Aided by Mitch’s trickster girlfriend Caprice (Julia Firth) and her new secret love Sam (Sean Carey), the clueless foursome attempt to rob the bank in an escapade which involves mistaken identities, love triangles and hidden agendas. But in a town where everyone’s a crook, who will end up bagging the jewel?
Fast, furious and side-splittingly funny, THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY is an uproariously funny farce which lives up to its accolade as ‘the funniest show in the West End’. Set to a lush a capella soundtrack, this thrilling 50s style crime caper is a masterclass of comedy thanks to its witty double entendres, innovative staging, impeccable timing and impressive gymnastics.
Much like THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, a lot rides on the visual gags in THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY which takes slapstick to a whole new level. Through innovative use of staging and props, the cast appear to defy the laws of gravity as they hang from walls, crawl through bank vents and dangle from the ceiling, all in impressive caper-esque fashion.
A particular highlight is a romping bedroom scene in Act 1 in which Liam Jeavons, Julia Firth and Sean Carey show off their incredible comic timing and physical comedy skills with both style and panache. Another, which involves shifting the fourth wall to a bird’s eye perspective, is full of inventiveness and is flawlessly executed by Jon Trenchard and Damian Lynch.
The success of the show undoubtedly lies in the hands of the talented cast who have the comedy locked down to perfection, joyfully milking every single gag possible. David Coomber is wickedly funny as Cooper, Mitch’s not-so-well-trusted sidekick, while Sean Carey is excellent as Sam Monaghan, his physical gymnastics in the bedroom scene and his subsequent mistaken identities, having the audience in stitches.
A special mention also must go to George Hannigan who steals the scene every time he steps on stage with his hilarious physical comedy and array of nutty characters, including portraying a three-way fight while completely alone on stage.
In fact, the only real flaw in the show is the speed of the ending, which without giving anything away, could have made more fun of the unlikely twist, which appears and disappears so quickly that it’s never had time to be truly appreciated.
That said, this is a minor criticism and you’ll be hard pressed to find something as fresh and funny as THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY. A brilliantly funny farce full of inventiveness and fun.
THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY runs at The Lowry, Salford until 15 September 2018.
Donna is the Founder and Editor of Frankly, My Dear UK. By day, she works as a digital marketing specialist, by night she reviews film, theatre and music for a wide range of publications including WhatsonStage and The Reviews Hub. Loves Formula 1, prosecco and life.
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