Review: THE RETREAT, Park Theatre

A laborious meditation at the start sets this play up to be something it's not. We expect a lesson in the Buddhist way, but what we get is the Londoners' interpretation. Scattering spoons on the floor, Tony arrives to disrupt Luke's stillness. What unfolds thereafter is a debauched 90-minute clash of cultures.

It's like watching a Channel Four programme on stage - one I'd like to see more of - and Sam Bain's comic genius is evident throughout. Relying constantly on gags and sexualised humour, the play's style shares similarities with his TV successes, Fresh Meat and Peep Show. Kathy Burke's clever direction allows Bain's razor-sharp comedy to radiate through.

How easy is it to uproot everything you know and retreat to the simpler things in life? In this case, all you have to do is get the train to Glasgow, the bus to Inverness, hitchhike to the Highlands and then climb up a mountain to arrive at the centre. Tony has come to give Luke some news, but also to request money.

Despite being brothers, these two are polar opposites. Luke (Samuel Anderson) has a relaxed stance, seeming to have his life put together, whereas Tony (Adam Deacon) is a lot more childlike. He pokes and prods his younger sibling, provoking a reaction, attempting to disrupt his spiritual equilibrium. Tony's argument is that Luke doesn't need Buddha - he needs sex. Luke is locked away from life, the monks his prison guards.

However, Luke isn't all that secure, and is here searching for his next fixation. He's become bored of the flat, work, booze, girls, coke, and now, he finds a new addiction in spirituality. Tony tries to convince him to dabble in the naughty stuff, which results in a hilarious moment where he sweeps up cocaine from the floor, before snorting it out of a sieve.

The play gets even more bizarre with the arrival of Tara (Yasmine Akram), dressed in cosplay as a green deity, or as Tony refers to her as, a 'Sexy Shrek'. It is through Tara that Bain steers away from comedy and asks questions on ethics and religion's power to potentially manipulate.

But before that, we are treated to some more comedy as Tony continues in his teasing. His Cockney accent sounds out of place in this tranquil environment, and that's the point. The street lingo is a great juxtaposition to the hippy, free-willing style that Tara uses.

The three actors bounce Bain's dialogue off one another with ease, comfortably landing every joke. Deacon gets mosts of the laughs, and it isn't a surprise. He delivers his lines with an innocent and cheeky smile, and his casual characterisation allows for a relaxed performance. Anderson and Akram support this by playing with a dry wit.

Tara owns the centre, but she is about to lose it due to not having a contract, (sometimes being too free-living comes at a price). She needs Luke's money to pay off the debt to keep the centre open, and works hard to guilt trip him into handing it over. Will Luke's newly found enlightenment allow him to hand over £1 million? And if he does, is he really compassionate, or a downright mug?

Is religion a brainwashing tool? Or is it a healing, higher power? Life itself is an illusion, apparently.

The Retreat at the Park Theatre until 2 December

Photo Credit: Craig Sugden

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