Hitting Funny Reviews

Theatre in Wales
www.theatre-wales.co.uk

Volcano Theatre Company | HITTING FUNNY | Chapter, 23rd April 2005

In its 'coming of age' year Volcano Theatre, set up by Paul Davies and Fern Smith in 1987 demonstrates with this hard hitting and exhilarating production that its strength comes as much from good 'old fashioned', eternal theatrical truths as it does from the experimental and iconoclastic nature of much of its work.

Strength and no small degree of, probably quite justified anger, with a deep down lurking sense of beauty are the characteristics that sum up the zeitgeist of the company for me. Paul Davies is a writer and director that never shrinks from a challenge. In fact the company's work never fails to challenge its audience. That is part of what has cemented their reputation as one of the most exciting companies working in Wales today. And by golly! Writer and actor Philip Ralph and director Davies threw the lot at us with this superbly crafted and expertly delivered performance.

Deconstruction, that's another Davies leitmotif. By the time comedian Chris Rich had finished with us, practically every aspect of human decency had been pulled apart, held up to the light and found wanting.

Rich is not really a very good comedian, a very traditional sad clown. He's also a bit afraid of his audience. We get a nice line in a nervously carried out sound check as we enter the theatre. Clearly it's all more than the guy can cope with. Philip Ralph is a master of the difficult task of acting the part of someone who isn't very good on stage and mastering it magnificently. Throughout the whole of the performance this dichotomy adds a thrilling dimension to the hilarious evening.

There is little this man cannot achieve on stage. His opening set is a deconstructing examination of the roots of stand-up comedy. He transforms himself from gentle ridiculousness with a skimpy black thong worn outside his trousers with rubber breasts around his neck, bright red fuzzy wig and clown's red nose to hard hitting no-nonsense, late-night devastating comedy in seconds and we are all at his feet. His history of the invention of comedy, as he transforms himself from man at the mike to grunting banana chewing ape and back again, slipping on the ape's discarded banana skin is yet another real treat.

There's an 'Adults Only' warning on the publicity material, this is quite valid and this is where our sensibilities too are pushed further than most of us will have ever been pushed before. He demands we abandon all shreds of respectability and why shouldn't we! The fact that he graphically sets before us quite disgusting aspects of human depravity doesn't make them any the less funny. Here it was the very appreciative audience that let the show down. We needed to let ourselves go, throw back our heads and give our laughter full rein and to join with Chris and Philip and Paul and celebrate fully this very fine and compelling experience of well brewed theatre alchemy.

Michael Kelligan

		Reviews

Theatre in Wales www.theatre-wales.co.uk Volcano Theatre Company \| HITTING FUNNY \| Chapter, 23rd April 2005 In its 'coming of age' year Volcano Theatre, set up by Paul Davies and Fern Smith in 1987 demonstrates with this hard hitting and exhilarating production that its strength comes as much from good 'old fashioned', eternal theatrical truths as it does from the experimental and iconoclastic nature of much of its work. Strength and no small degree of, probably quite justified anger, with a deep down lurking sense of beauty are the characteristics that sum up the zeitgeist of the company for me. Paul Davies is a writer and director that never shrinks from a challenge. In fact the company's work never fails to challenge its audience. That is part of what has cemented their reputation as one of the most exciting companies working in Wales today. And by golly! Writer and actor Philip Ralph and director Davies threw the lot at us with this superbly crafted and expertly delivered performance. Deconstruction, that's another Davies leitmotif. By the time comedian Chris Rich had finished with us, practically every aspect of human decency had been pulled apart, held up to the light and found wanting. Rich is not really a very good comedian, a very traditional sad clown. He's also a bit afraid of his audience. We get a nice line in a nervously carried out sound check as we enter the theatre. Clearly it's all more than the guy can cope with. Philip Ralph is a master of the difficult task of acting the part of someone who isn't very good on stage and mastering it magnificently. Throughout the whole of the performance this dichotomy adds a thrilling dimension to the hilarious evening. There is little this man cannot achieve on stage. His opening set is a deconstructing examination of the roots of stand-up comedy. He transforms himself from gentle ridiculousness with a skimpy black thong worn outside his trousers with rubber breasts around his neck, bright red fuzzy wig and clown's red nose to hard hitting no-nonsense, late-night devastating comedy in seconds and we are all at his feet. His history of the invention of comedy, as he transforms himself from man at the mike to grunting banana chewing ape and back again, slipping on the ape's discarded banana skin is yet another real treat. There's an 'Adults Only' warning on the publicity material, this is quite valid and this is where our sensibilities too are pushed further than most of us will have ever been pushed before. He demands we abandon all shreds of respectability and why shouldn't we! The fact that he graphically sets before us quite disgusting aspects of human depravity doesn't make them any the less funny. Here it was the very appreciative audience that let the show down. We needed to let ourselves go, throw back our heads and give our laughter full rein and to join with Chris and Philip and Paul and celebrate fully this very fine and compelling experience of well brewed theatre alchemy. Michael Kelligan