Everything Theatre Reviews, interviews and news for theatre lovers, London and beyond
Niall Ransome’s dark comedy provides an easy watch and a cheerful evening at the theatre. Summary
Rating
Good
There are no frills in the storyline of Niall Ransome’s dark comedy Bad Ladz. Childhood mates Mickey (Freddy Elletson) and Darren (Jay Mailer) find themselves questioning the very foundations of their friendship when Darren kidnaps Parashar (Nicholas Prasad) – a mutual acquaintance – and hides him in Mickey’s nana’s house. Parashar owes some money to Darren, who hopes that making him captive will spur him into repaying his debt a bit quicker. Darren has also called Tony (Carl Stone) to help, but he’s far too sensitive a soul, with even more sensitive bowels, whose movements are well documented throughout. Things get even trickier when they realise that local thug Raj (Maanuv Thiara) is after them to seek revenge…
Despite their stylised outline, characters are shaped with dedication by an experienced cast. It’s also easy to notice director Rosa Crompton’s deft hand at bringing them together as a team. It’s very refreshing to see them having fun on stage, with their enthusiasm that is infectious. Their underlying camaraderie evokes a sense of nostalgia for the genuine friendships of once upon a time, long before the advent of smart phones, when youngsters would socialise around the poorly maintained communal grass patches within housing estates.
Entirely set inside and around a fully furnished living room, the action could suffer from its static nature if Crompton hadn’t introduced some tongue in cheek choreographies between scenes, pairing the natural comedy effect of movement with some well-known 80’s bangers. ‘No More “I Love You’s”’, anyone?
It has the flavour of a 90’s sitcom, enhanced by the overall working-class vibe of props and costumes. Serious topics like bereavement and lack of means are only touched lightly, as if drawing a caricature of life in the estate. For the rest, lasting just over an hour, this is plain, unpretentious sailing into the world of entertainment.
Even though this might not be the most challenging of social portrayals, it is indeed a fully-fledged and fluently written piece. It takes a little time to warm up, before embarking on a crescendo of slapstick that works well with the audience. Perhaps it misses a little touch of the X Factor that would have made it memorable, but is still a tasty comedy, with a steady supply of laugh out loud opportunities that deliver an easy to enjoy night at the theatre.
Written by: Niall Ransome
Directed by: Rosa Crompton
Produced by: Platt Productions
New Ladz plays at New Wimbledon Studio until 15 July. Further information and bookings can be found here.
