UK Theatre Network

Comedy in theatre is usually a path to make the sad, dirty and cruel aspects of life more approachable. In suddenlossofdgnity.com, The Bush Theatre’s second commission for Latitude Festival, it is our very own, sad, and dirty aspects of life that are revealed.

Using examples from people writing in about their most humiliating, undignified moments, five bright young playwrights have compiled and composed a fun and light-hearted sketch show that whizzes through an hour and ten, leaving plenty of time in the bar afterwards with which to drunkenly re-live your own most tragic humiliations.

(left to right: Kathryn Drysdale, Felix Scott, Hugh Skinner, Katie Lyons ) 

For those of you that caught last year’s hit, 50 ways to Leave Your Lover, the format is the same. Two guys, two girls, and lots of laughs. This is real take-away humour, based on observations and clips; short, breezy and humorous. So when a real serious note hits us three-quarters of the way in, it feels a bit like a harpoon attack. We aren’t prepared to make the investment in the drunken character making a horrifying best man speech before us, so we find ourselves staring at our feet in discomfort.

The four young actors are put to their paces, working incredibly hard at their graft. Their energy constantly remains high and everything is attacked full vigour (possibly a little too much for the small Bush surrounds). Highlights include Hugh Skinner’s portrayal of a wannabe musician with a huge Westlife fetish and Katie Lyons’ outrageous clubber. Particularly memorable is Lyons’guitar serenade (I’ve never seen my brother blush a deeper shade of red).

The skilled singing and dancing proved these actors, can go further than simply pulling a one-line gag. A fun display of talent.

The Bush Theatre

1^st July – 15^th August

Book Online www.bushtheatre.co.uk

Box Office 020 8743 5050