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Bursts with imaginative creativity as it grapples with the complexity of conspiracy theories in the USA as propagated and promoted by the mysterious Bill Cooper. Summary
Rating
Excellent
BILL would be warmly amusing if it were not quite so prescient. We laugh at the antics of outliers, marooned in their cut-off states, spouting unintelligible remarks as they look for exciting explanations for their drab existence. Collaborative playwright and director, Megan Jenkins, has shaped a rather chaotic series of scenes that plays with time; it is no mistake the set is decorated with the face of clocks, set at sequential hours as if time is passing yet standing still too. This play challenges us to get involved with its anarchic and entertaining stance.
Three large signs light up – true, unsubstantiated and quote – and in our world of coalescing fact and fiction BILL jumps out at us with its unnerving relevance. Quote your perceived truth often enough and it becomes a reality; certainly real enough to gather a huge following like that of Bill Cooper. The truth doubters concern themselves with ideas from flat worlds to moon landings, aliens to flying saucers, abductions and collaborators, all perpetrated by government forces. In a military career, Bill Cooper reaches a distinguished ranking with high security clearance, so is privy to secret documents and is compelled to share his truth about government collusion with unknown forces, against the interest of the people. While presidents from Eisenhower to Nixon share in doublespeak and the rest of us follow like sheep, in a state of stupidity Bill Cooper, through radio, print and ultimately over the internet, seeks to expose the truth as he sees it.
Red Fox Theatre shines with talent and all the creatives work seamlessly to navigate a complex tale, making it entertaining and thought provoking. If, at times, they seem to derail down a siding, they never fail to engage the audience in some way; whether with visuals (the filing cabinet drawer with exploding papers is priceless) acapella song, creating radio station phone-ins while operating their own sound effects, or indeed the switching of accents and broadly drawn comic sketches which segue into some terrific individual solos, all accompanied by instruments from cello to gazoo, with style and commitment.
Rachel Barnes delivers a range of characters with fun, good humour and a wholesomeness which is sufficiently odd and yet entertaining. Her voice is delightfully flexible and on cello or guitar she always shines. As does Christopher Weeks who swaggers and drives the tale through song with a country and western style that really showcases the lyrics. Jenkins’ lyrics are smart, clever and witty in addressing the core of the issue of truth whilst keeping us all on board, and together with Ruby Collins’ compositions the music, in a range of entertaining styes and genres, binds the show together.
However, it is Callum McGuire and Jonty Weston who stand out with their vocal energy and intensity, capturing the dilemma of which truth to believe. McGuire, with a range of malleable expressions, sneers and smiles in quick succession and physically entertains with an array of antics, while Jonty drives the narrative and holds tightly to a truth that he feels needs to be heard. His monologue to a fleeing wife and child is vocally arresting, as the duplicitous nature of Bill is evident, and the proud prophet in a promised land, in the end seems to be living a lie.
BILL is many things, including confusing at times, but it never fails to be of interest and the creative team in Red Fox Theatre entertains, making original and thought-provoking theatre accessible while providing a great night out for all – and that’s the truth!
Created and written collaboratively by: Red Fox Theatre
Directed by: Megan Jenkins
Sound design by: Jonty Weston
Set design by: Jonjo Set Design
Composed by: Ruby Collins
BILL plays at the Omnibus Theatre until 22 December 2024. Further information and tickets available here.
