This new production from Helen Bang (director) and Peter Rae, follows on from their successful production of An Absolute Farce of a Murder Mystery which was also staged at the Drayton Arms Theatre.
Filled with puns, cheeky asides that beautifully break the fourth wall, Don’t Take the Pith is a great follow up to Helen Bang and Peter Rae’s debut play An Absolute Farce of a Murder Mystery.
Set in a tropical location, Lord Sebastian Hardcastle and Lady Susan Bloom (Peter Rae and Helen Bang reprising their roles) have been summoned to the island to solve the mystery of the missing talisman of the local tribe with plenty of suspects to question along the way as well as an additional mystery to be solved.
Written by Peter Rae, the script is filled with witty one-liners, plenty of ‘pith’ jokes and once again well rounded characters surrounded in a plot that has plenty of twists and turns that keep the audience guessing from start to finish. Having a similar vibe to Mischief Theatre’s plays (but with additional cheekier moments that give it an adult feel), Don’t Take the Pith! wonderfully unfolds with great energy and enthusiasm from start to finish.
While the plot itself perhaps isn’t complex (highlighted perfectly with this line “There isn’t a plot dear, it’s a comedy”) and is filled with silliness, it does have to be said that the characters themselves have been well written to keep the audience invested in what is happening in front of them, while the way in which the fourth wall is broken down numerously is effectively fun and allows the audience to feel as though they are as much involved as those on stage. Perhaps the only part that felt out of place is the references to the BBC or anything that was out of keeping of the time that the play is set in.
Don’t Take the Pith! has plenty of bite about it in terms of the way in which it deals with colonialism, class and of course the North/South divide that keeps the audience entertained.
To say anymore on how the plot unfolds would ruin the surprise and fun to be had and it is clear that the cast are thoroughly enjoying bringing to life these zany characters. At the centre of it all, Helen Bang as the quirky physic Lady Susan and Peter Rae as Lord Sebastian bounce off each others differing characteristics perfectly. But they are also surrounded by a wonderful ensemble including David Furlong as the bumbling but well intentioned Dr Frenchman and Abigail Dawn as the dry witted and sullen Maud (who gets many of the best lines and delivers them perfectly).
Overall, Don’t take the Pith! is a wonderfully vibrant and entertaining show that will guarantee leave the audience with a smile on their face.
By Emma Clarendon
Don’t Take the Pith continues to run at the Drayton Arms Theatre until the 1st June.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐