Review: NOBODY'S BUSINESS, King's Head Theatre, Oct 2 2015

They say death is easy, comedy is hard. It should almost be noted that if comedy is hard, farce is even harder. It needs to look like chaos and work like clockwork.

Alas 'Nobody's Business' clunks. It feels out-of-date, even though it is set in a contemporary Britain. The story revolves around Hugh Ross (Tristan Brient), the sort of modern middle-man we've grown to despise. He basically milks the EU for cash on behalf of various clients. Hugh has just moved into a new, untidy office, managed by the slightly strange Howard (Stephen Oswald), who is nervous and unconfident. Hugh runs rings around Howard.

The office is also 'occupied' by concierge Sybil (Katy Manning), the cuckoo in Hugh Ross's nest - not that he or we know that at the beginning. She's full of ideas and stories, listens to Ross, casts her eye over the various potential projects that Ross is looking for.

Katy Manning is great, as are all the cast. The problem is that the play as a whole isn't funny enough.

The story basically shows us the best laid plans of Hugh Ross unravelling - both his nefarious business plans and his relationship with Imogen (Claire Jeater). There are some funny moments: a frantic early running around whilst various 'inventors' (all played by Jeremy Drakes) trail their wares through the office, which sees the impressive use of a take-away curry container; the kangaroo costume; a misunderstanding about tapioca.

But do we still need a 'funny foreigner' causes massive misunderstanding plot? That's why this feels old-fashioned.

It's nice that whilst Hugh Ross falls apart slowly but surely the other characters rise to their challenges, although there's an implication of Imogen and Howard coming together right at the end that feels a bit odd based on how Imogen has reacted to him previously, although it isn't quite clear.

I can't really fault any of the performances. All the cast do their best to breathe life into the material but I think the fundamental problem is it just isn't taut or funny enough. It's almost two hours long, plus an interval, and I think you could cut a good fifteen minutes or more; nothing drags like unfunny comedy and this felt long.

It's a new play, though, and there's a good story here trapped in a flabby script. Perhaps a bit more trimming and tidying up will let it breathe but for the moment I can say that this isn't quite there.

Nobody's Business runs at the King's Head.

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