*****
Review by Simon Rothstein
Photos by Mark Senior
It’s not often you get to attend the world premiere of a new theatre production right here in Essex.
Especially when that show is the eagerly awaited first musical from Mischief… the creators of hilarious hit West End comedy The Play That Goes Wrong.
But so it was that my teenage children and I sat in Mercury Theatre to watch the very first performance of Thespians: Greece The Musical (But Not That One).
I’ve reviewed many shows, films and concerts over three decades, but there’s nothing quite like putting your pen down and seeing how the kids enjoy it.
And enjoy it they did… eyes transfixed to the stage, laughing throughout and pointing out any references, puns and theatre or historical in-jokes that I had missed.
To try to explain the plot of a Mischief production would be pointless, but the basics are we follow a team of five friends in Ancient Greece – loosely based on characters from history and mythology – who have to move from their tiny island of Ikaria to Athens, enter a prayer competition to try and stop a dreadful drought, and end up inventing theatre as we know it today.
A mix of musical, slapstick and pantomime, we get tales of friendship, family, lost love, found love, betrayal, redemption, a baddie you will love to hate and heroes you want to see rewarded.
Written by Mischief’s Jonathan Sayer and Ed Zanders, the gags and comic moments come thick and fast as you’d expect.
The songs are catchy, and the lyrics silly. It can take a short while to get to grips with the world it is set in, but once you do you’ll fall in love.
The cast – Allie Dart as Rhapsodes, Claire-Marie Hall as Poly, James Spence as Thespis, Luke Latchman as Atlas, Marc Pickering as Adonis, Matt Cavendish as Bard, Mia Jerome as Melampus and Rhys Taylor as The Tyrant, with an ensemble of Ashley Tucker, Josh Patel-Foster and Curtis Patrick – are simply fantastic.
They blend over-the-top antics and camp villainy with genuine emotional warmth that makes you want to see what happens next – all delivered with an energy that never seems to end. You get the impression watching that they are having as much fun as we are!
Add in the superb choreography from Melody Sinclair-Marsh, stage design from Jasmine Swan and direction from Robyn Grant, and everything comes together perfectly.
Ultimately the show is a love letter to theatre, giving a (historically inaccurate but hilariously funny) account of its origins and the story of Thespis, the world’s first actor.
There are nods to so many other productions and pop culture favourites – Wicked, Chicago and Notting Hill among them – that you can see just how much the writers love their craft.
Another important point is that Thespians – playing in local theatres around the country – is affordable. It gives West End/Broadway quality without the prices you’d usually associate with that.
It’s a fun family night out – as I found – but would be equally enjoyable for individuals, couples or adult groups.
Give it a try… you can’t go wrong!
- Thespians plays at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester until 23 May, before touring to Bath, Swindon, Guildford, Cheltenham, Cardiff and Manchester. Find out more and purchase tickets here.
