Review: Off and On, Bridewell Theatre

Farce is often relegated to the lowest rung of the dramatic ladder. And yet, it has long been a favourite in British theatre. Exaggerated characterisations, increasingly improbable coincidences and undeniably crude jokes often take precedence over the more sophisticated elements of plot and theme. From Michael Frayn’s Noises Off to Mischief Theatre’s long-running West End hit The Play That Goes Wrong, the opportunities to see new farce can sometimes feel few and far between. With writer/director Ben Cawood, however, there is hope that a new generation of farce may be on its way.  

Staged in traverse, with two strips of red tape marking out a narrow train carriage, Off and On locates its action aboard a ‘British Rail’ service to Leeds. It opens with the Minister for Transport preparing his resignation speech, hoping to catch the journalists off-guard because, as he puts it, “no-one ever resigns in Leeds”. What follows is 85 minutes of mistaken identities, costume swapping, slapstick and joyful silliness.

The script itself oozes wit. Within minutes, I found myself thinking of Leslie Nielsen’s deadpan absurdity in The Naked Gun alongside the broader political satire of Nikolai Gogol’s The Government Inspector. Mistaken identity is central to the action, with characters repeatedly exchanging clothes to pass themselves off as someone else. Much of this costume swapping takes place in full view of the audience, amplifying the comic effect and creating some of the production’s biggest laughs. Cawood keeps the pace moving too, ensuring that the barrage of filthy innuendo and increasingly chaotic mishaps rarely have a chance to lose momentum.

The nine-strong cast work well as an ensemble, squeezing past one another with impressive ease in what is, by design, an extremely cramped playing space. Jay Raj Chaudhry plays a hapless Scottish train guard with aplomb, while Sam Gordon-Webb gives the career-centred politician George Murrey an engaging satirical edge. Antoine Vander Elst is also exquisitely funny as Geoffrey Hemingway, the moustache-bearing boss of British Rail, emulating the ‘stock’ British aristocrat with hilarious precision.

There were no shortages of laughs from the audience, who were willing the cast on to discover the next mishap. If the evening falters, it is in its final ten minutes, when the comedy begins to run out of steam. One final mistaken identity, involving a father-daughter relationship, feels like a step too far. I did feel for Emilia Lewis, playing Wendy, whose only real participation in the action seemed to be to ask for more Lambrusco – this was perhaps the only character that felt underwritten. 

That said, there is plenty to savour in this railway caper, including some impressively choreographed fights and scuffles. Fleur Simpson’s costumes do much of the work in establishing character, demonstrating that a set is really surplus to requirements. The result is quintessential fringe theatre. 

If Off and On is anything to go by, perhaps farce is finally climbing the dramatic ladder, and with writers like Cawood in the driving seat, its future is exciting. 

Presented by Right Track Theatre
Writer/Director: Ben Cawood
Assistant Director: Alice Fenton
Producer: Robyn Bradbury
Assistant Producer: Olivia Higgins-Darby
Costume Designer: Fleur Simpson

Off and On plays at The Bridewell as part of the Camden Fringe until Tuesday 18 August, before setting off on a national tour including performances at actual railway lines!