Review: HOLY CRAP!, King's Head Theatre

The Heather Brothers are back with their new heavenly blasphemy musical comedy Holy Crap!.

After launching the first pay-per-view religious channel in Great Britain, the American Bobby Del La Ray (John Addison), AKA the "Hallelujah Cowboy", soon realises that there is no market for such an enterprise in the "godless and bankrupt UK".

Since his meddling with the mafia is taking its toll on his mother, who is being held hostage in Sicily, and he is nearing bankruptcy, he decides to start offering his very restricted number of viewers another kind of entertainment, something that he is sure will increase his figures: porn. Helped by Rex Bedderman (Arvid Larsen), a legendary British rock star and devout Christian who promotes his channel, Bobby's influence starts to grow and to have devastating effects.

Directed by Benji Sperring, the show is riotously funny and presents a lighthearted satire on the hypocrisy that envelops the rise to power and the pursuit of money, with continuous commentary on religion. Sperring's collaboration with choreographer Lucie Pankhurst gives Holy Crap! a vivacious and playful vibe.

He is able to avoid moments when The Heather Brothers' jokes might have fallen flat, and thanks to his cast's comedic timing, the result is a jolly and sarcastic journey. The use of sex toys and sexually charged costumes adds further hilarity. "Paralysis sets in every time I try to sin," laments Rex, opening the second act while using a black flogger to punish himself.

John Addison's take on the oddly charismatic Bobby Del La Ray slightly recalls the character he played in The Life at Southwark Playhouse, but a streak of egotism and his exchanges with the rest of the cast make his performance distinctly different. His chemistry with Nuno Queimado's Vinnie, his right-hand man, is delightfully entertaining.

Queimado steals the shows every chance he gets - from wild dance moves to his stereotypically hilarious (but precise) Italian demeanour with the mafioso Luigi (Peter Bindloss).

When it comes to the female cast, Letitia Hector and Rachel Marwood (playing Destiny and Clarissa respectively) might be on the opposite ends of the spectrum character wise, but are both outstanding. Hector's rich vocals are showcased in her solos, and Marwood's character's playfully naughty attitude shines through.

As gullible Rex, Larsen is enjoyably naive. A "closeted infidel", he is initially as unsettled as Destiny when Bobby suggests they present "religious porn" to their audiences, but accepts the word of the pastor as it were a commandment. His struggle to put aside his inability to sin or to even swear in order to follow Bobby because of his blind faith is effectively challenged by Destiny's urging to think for himself, rather than just being a follower.

Theatre aimed at entertaining, The Heather Brothers have built a musical comedy worthy of the title - fun, irreverent satire.

Holy Crap! runs at King's Head Theatre until 8 July.

Photo credit: Paul Dyke.

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