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Henry Filloux-Bennett, Stephen Makin & Kelly Spooner and Nick Rogers present:
A review by Carmen Nasr for EXTRA! EXTRA! In a flurry of fast paced comedic episodes, outlandishly ludicrous characters and a flavour of Monty Pythonesque absurdity, Evelyn Waugh’s scathing social satire and debut 1928 novel Decline and Fall receives its first ever theatrical adaptation at Islington’s Old Red Lion Theatre. Lampooning a society of sheer futility, which is inhabited by unbelievably ridiculous characters, Decline and Fall is a story that uncompromisingly satirises aspects of moral and social depravity in 1920s British society. It follows the dizzying social decline of one Paul Pennyfeather, a young man whose demise begins with an expulsion from Oxford University following an ill-fated encounter with the scandalous Bollinger Club that leaves him disgracefully naked in college grounds. His journey continues its’ decline and fall via an obscure and incompetent boarding school in the deep wilderness of Wales, a whirlwind romance with the decadently flirtatious, extravagantly named Margot Besete-Chetwynde, an oblivious dabble in the trafficking of prostitutes and a stint in prison. A voyage through social and moral bedlam, this is Waugh at his most scornful and ruthless. In the very capable hands of a first-rate cast, the play is brought to life with exuberance, flair and a distinctly British comedic flavour. Sylvester McCoy, best known as the seventh incarnation of television hero Dr.Who, is a joy to watch and his eccentric, alcoholic and wooden-legged Captain Grimes is the highlight of the show. The rest of the cast all meet the same high standards and Fay Downie as the nouveaux riche Mrs. Beste Chetwynde, delightfully channels Waugh’s emphasis on the ludicrous and at times, even just a glimpse of her sent a ripple of laughter through the audience. Owen Roberts as the Del boy-esque Solomon Philbrick also deserves a mention. The cast handled Waugh’s rapid quick fire dialogue with great expertise and even brought subtle comedic wit to the numerous doubling up of characters and almost endless scene changes. Faced with characters rather too fanciful to evoke any real emotions, the cast of Decline and Fall do everything in their power to capture the imagination of the audience and the spirit of Waugh’s satire – and they do it very well indeed. Waugh’s exquisite sense of the ridiculous, scornful wit and linguistic elegance all shine through in artistic director Henry Filloux-Bennett’s literary adaptation and Tom King’s direction. However a deficiency in narrative flow leaves this production with an excessively episodic structure, and combined with an understandably comedy-centred approach, it at times feels more akin to a comedy-sketch show than a play. Having not read the novel, I don’t have a detailed point of reference to compare Filloux Bennett’s adaptation to the original narrative, yet I couldn’t help but feeling that comedic potential may have been given priority over dramatic effect. Judging from the persistent laughter of many audience members, it certainly did the trick for comedy fans, but those looking for more of a balance may be disappointed.
Box Office: 02078377816 Old Red Lion Theatre 7:30pm Tue – Sat and 3pm Sun £16/£11 Concession (Thursday ‘Pay What You Can’)
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