Review: Revenge: After the Levoyah, The Yard Theatre
A jet black Ealing comedy for the 21st century, performed beautifully by its two remarkable leads.summary
Rating
Unmissable!
Over in the West End Steve Coogan is currently winning critical acclaim for taking on four different roles in Dr. Strangelove, yet here Gemma Barnett and Dylan Corbett-Bader make such a challenge look like child’s play. Throughout this exhilarating farce both take turns narrating events and tackle an incredible amount of characters, and they do so with such skill and panache that it’s frequently breathtaking.
The same applies to the dialogue in the production as well, it’s been a very long time since a difficult subject matter like antisemitism has been explored with such an impressive amount of nuance while still being hilarious. A mixture of insight into Jewish life, political satire, heist caper and madcap action film, it’s a combination that only the very best of playwrights could pull off effectively, and so Nick Cassembaum finds himself in lofty company indeed. It feels like watching a rollercoaster that has been fitted with rocket boosters as, after a little scene setting, the pace explodes and rarely lets up, making this is a fast paced joy to witness.
Out of necessity it does begin with a gentle introduction to the characters, as we learn that siblings Lauren (Barnett) and Dan (Corbett-Bader) have somewhat aimless lives and friends they’re not sure they like that much, but once they hear about the tragic passing of their Grandfather the pace is knocked up at least five or six gears as their lives careen out of control.
This could have easily become a problematic work given the fact that it revolves around the kidnapping of a well-known politician, but the impressively self-aware script throws so many ideas in to the mix that it’s clear its aim is to provoke questions rather than provide simplistic answers. Even then it demands an enormous amount from its cast, but Barnett and Corbett-Bader more than meet them as with the aid of an occasional facial tic and or alteration in body language they swap roles and you instantly know who they are.
As well as Dr Strangelove this has a great deal in common with Kind Hearts and Coronets, the 1949 black comedy where Alec Guinness took on eight roles, and it deserves to be praised as a 21st Century take on an Ealing comedy. Like those films it’s laugh out loud funny throughout, whilst also having a lot to say about the state of the nation, what it means to be Jewish in this era, and the way the media attempts to manipulate us each and every day, in a remarkably smart and funny manner.
Written by: Nick Cassenbaum
Directed by: Emma Jude Harris
Produced by: Becky Plotnek
Sets and Costumes Designed by: Alys Whitehead
Revenge: After The Levoah plays at the Yard Theatre until 25th January. Further information and booking are available here.