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A raunchy parody of Die Hard that fails to meet expectations.Summary
Rating
Ok
Dead Hard is an immersive parody of the ‘Christmas’ film Die Hard (we’ll leave that debate for another time) that takes place in London’s first DDA-compliant venue. In what appears to be an office block, Dead Hard is staged on two floors. It’s a great choice of venue for reimagining the office setting of the film.
Upon arrival, seated in the bar, members of the cast approach and engage in some light-hearted conversation whilst a singer takes the stage. Subsequently ushered up to the fifth floor, we are welcomed by our boss (Jacqui Bareland) who encourages members of the audience to participate in some raunchy games. After some time, ‘terrorists’, played by audience members, enter the foyer and escort us into the main room where the action soon unfolds.
It should be emphasised that this parody is very loosely based on the original plot. Yes, lines are rehashed, and the plotline is somewhat the same, but if you’re after a show that embodies the original, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. Crude jokes and a multitude of dildos and fake penises are thrown in, alongside fights, go karts and fake bombs, to create a show that is off the wall. It’s enjoyable to see that writer Bertie Watkins incorporates current meme culture and online discourse, with the mention of the infamous Luigi Mangione, alongside Drag Race quotes and nods to LGBTQ+ culture.
However, the writing feels poor. The jokes are unsurprising and lacklustre, relying on vulgarity rather than originality. The actors couldn’t be faulted in their performances. Unfortunately, it is the script and staging that falls short. At points it seems all over the place, with actors getting dressed in a corner of the room and props being stored and switched within the eyeline of the audience. Paired with an inability to hear the cast at points due to the absence of microphones and bad acoustics as well as non-tiered seating, meaning I missed half of the action because of sitting in the back row. The lights too impede on vision as sitting on the edges means that more than likely a stage light will be shining directly in your viewpoint. It’s better to sit in the front row, though be prepared to be picked on.
Dead Hard is an underwhelming production that leads back to recurring debate around immersive theatre. It doesn’t feel immersive but instead relies on audience participation for that label. On paper it sounds like a fabulous idea with much potential but requires significant rethinking to be a success.
Directed by: Bertie Watkins
Written by: Bertie Watkins, Helena Raeburn, Lowell Bellfield
Produced by: Larissa Ngo
Dead Hard plays at CoLab Tower until 12 Janaury. Further information and tickets available here.
