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★★★★
Becky Brown’s new comedy play ‘Chapter 11’ was part of this year’s Faversham Fringe festival at the weekend, with a one night only performance at the Arden Theatre. Presented by In Plain Sight Theatre and directed by Kyle Brown, the play looks at the topic of ghost writers through the lens of an exaggerated comedy, transporting audiences to upper class society in the 1920s. Keen to support new writing locally, I recently headed to the venue to review this play and share my thoughts at the start of its theatrical journey.
Background
The outrageous comedy is set in 1928, and sees adventure author Donald (John Callaghan) end up in a tricky career situation, when his ghost writer suddenly dies and his financial woes start to catch up with him. Having not written a single line of his previous successes, Donald enlists the help of his butler Gregson (Kyle Brown) and together they review the story so far and attempt to write the final chapter. They visually present the narrative to the audience, taking on over 10 characters between them and the result is a hilarious 45 minutes of well-timed comedy. It is exaggerated and mischievous, but also has a reflective underlying message, which grounds the madcap storyline.
Pacing and complexity
The material is very fast-paced, with the actors telling this amusing story-within-a-story at lightning speed. The pacing contributes to the comedic effect, especially when the pair have to suddenly change props and portray a different character. That being said, at times it is a touch too quick and it is difficult to keep up with all of the figures mentioned and their varied dialogue. Slowing the presentation down slightly and focusing a little more on clarity in the diction would ensure that every hilarious detail in the script is effectively communicated. Post performance, I have since learned that director Kyle Brown stepped in and played Gregson at the last minute, which is even more impressive, considering the complexity of the piece.
Use of props
For me the absolute highlight is Becky Brown and Kyle Brown’s cleverly crafted props and the creativity of the set pieces. Initially perceiving the set to be one of cardboard boxes, I was thrilled to see these evolve and really contribute to the comedy. Many of the props come alive and add so much visual personality to the storytelling, complimenting the humorous dialogue.
Laugh-out-loud funny
I look forward to hearing what is next for this unique and amusing piece of new writing. ‘Chapter 11’ must be commended for its memorable characters and the amount of innovation in the props. It has so much potential and with a little more room to breathe and a slightly longer running time, I believe it can go from strength to strength.
*My ticket for ‘Chapter 11’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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