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theSpace @ Surgeons Hall – Haldane Theatre
A moving exploration of Peter Rogers’ life that unfortunately caters to a very specific audienceSummary
Rating
Excellent
“I don’t recognise this world anymore.” Can’t Stop Carrying On follows the life of British film producer Peter Rogers, charting his relationship with the Carry-On franchise, as his 1960s heyday becomes a distant memory. With not much prior knowledge of these works (apart from memories of an old VHS of Carry on Up the Khyber that my dad forced me to watch years ago), I was moved as Darren Haywood captured the uncomfortable consequences of Rogers’ inevitable ageing. His films become increasingly irrelevant and distasteful as he loses his feeling for the zeitgeist, and he is forced to grapple with the isolation and loneliness that comes with outliving both friends and family.
Haywood delivers a deft performance, quickly pivoting between sombre clarity and absurd humour. He fills this one-man show with vigour and demonstrates some impressive acting as he impersonates an ensemble of other Carry-On actors, who punctuate the play with advice and bickering. These include Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Hattie Jacques, Barbara Windsor, and Sid James. Haywood imbues each character with a unique voice, and often uses physical traits to fully realise this distinct cast of characters.
But who are these now-obscure celebrities? While no doubt familiar to the elderly audience, I often found myself stumped when new characters were introduced. Several references also flew straight over my head but went down a storm with older attendees. It felt like the writing was pitched at an audience who had a strong knowledge of the films, perhaps incorrectly assuming their modern-day popularity. This would be fine if Can’t Stop Carrying On was a simple homage to the Carry-On franchise, but this production is so much more than that.
Take the staging, for example: Haywood is flanked by banners which display a selection of poster art from Carry-On throughout the years. These simple props convey how the films pervade Rogers’ life. Haywood also makes use of a raised chair to conjure up a courtroom scene and incorporate small pieces of more physical theatre. Later in the production, this flexible space is transformed by impressive lighting and sound work to become an intense, scrutinising press conference. The staging channels this production’s punchy plot, which makes exciting chronological leaps around Rogers’ life as the other characters explore with him his love for a unique brand of British humour, and his changing attitudes as he ages.
These aspects sit at odds with frequent moments of fan-service, where Haywood uses his skilful impersonations to deliver montages of funny moments from the films. Such sections did go down well with the audience, who seemed to know the films, but felt shallow and therefore contrasted awkwardly with the more sensitive parts of the play. Because of this, this production often felt like it was being pulled in different directions by its writing.
Can’t Stop Carrying On offers up a lovely homage to the films but could also attract a wider audience if it leaned further into its exploration of Rogers’ aging and his relationship with the UK comedy scene. Ultimately, this is an insightful and surprising exploration of a now outdated piece of British film history.
Written by:
Produced by: Blue Orange Arts
Can’t Stop Carrying On plays at thespaceUK until 26 August. Further information and bookings can be found here.
