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Waterloo East Theatre, London
Writer: Buddy Thomas
Director: Helen Bang
Cast: Jonny Davidson, Sinead Donnelly, Nicholas Gauci, James Grimm, James Mackay
Producer: LAMBCO Productions
Running time: 1 hour 35 minutes (including interval)
For anyone nervous their personal relationship might not withstand the stress of the festive period, “The Crumple Zone” offers a manic reassurance that we can survive the impact of an emotional crash, but the pain is excruciating.
The action unfolds in a shared flat on Staten Island, New York, where even aspiring actors, temping in restaurants, can just about afford the rent, and it focuses on three gay friends and a hopelessly misguided girlfriend.
The publicity tells us Buddy Thomas’ play was an off Broadway hit, and the garrulous black humour could play better before a U.S. crowd.
With a British cast, assisted by a U.S. dialogue consultant, performing in the back streets of Waterloo, it strained for laughs and only intermittently reached the pitch of hilarity it seemed to crave.
That said, its essence as a story of unrequited love is universal and the most love-lorn of them all Terry, played with frantic desperation by James Grimm, ultimately wins us over.
After his howls of protest over “I hate my life” and “who makes the rules?”, he matures into the realisation that things could be worse. It’s far from a Christmas happy ending, but it is almost an epiphany.
The Crumple Zone
Waterloo East Theatre, London
Writer: Buddy Thomas
Director: Helen Bang
Cast: Jonny Davidson, Sinead Donnelly, Nicholas Gauci, James Grimm, James Mackay
Producer: LAMBCO Productions
Running time: 1 hour 35 minutes (including interval)
For anyone nervous their personal relationship might not withstand the stress of the festive period, “The Crumple Zone” offers a manic reassurance that we can survive the impact of an emotional crash, but the pain is excruciating.
The action unfolds in a shared flat on Staten Island, New York, where even aspiring actors, temping in restaurants, can just about afford the rent, and it focuses on three gay friends and a hopelessly misguided girlfriend.
The publicity tells us Buddy Thomas’ play was an off Broadway hit, and the garrulous black humour could play better before a U.S. crowd.
With a British cast, assisted by a U.S. dialogue consultant, performing in the back streets of Waterloo, it strained for laughs and only intermittently reached the pitch of hilarity it seemed to crave.
That said, its essence as a story of unrequited love is universal and the most love-lorn of them all Terry, played with frantic desperation by James Grimm, ultimately wins us over.
After his howls of protest over “I hate my life” and “who makes the rules?”, he matures into the realisation that things could be worse. It’s far from a Christmas happy ending, but it is almost an epiphany.
Barbara Lewis © 2024.
By Barbara Lewis • comedy, plays, theatre, year 2024 • Tags: Barbara Lewis, comedy, plays, theatre