A near-perfect comical commentary on capitalism – armed with a ratty dog. Rating
Excellent!
Okay, so there’s no real ratty dog in Jobsworth. But any dog lover’s disappointment is soon eclipsed by how truly impressive Libby Rodcliffe is as Bea, a messy bun-clad woman in London working four jobs simultaneously to pay off her family’s debts. Rodcliffe performs all roles (including the trembling pup) in this one-woman piece, shifting between accents and mannerisms with seamless skill and humour. It is almost difficult not to keep up, as Bea drags the audience along in her hectic schedule of meetings with her smarmy manager, conversations with coked-up nepo-babies, and flirty chats with the retainer-wearing “fit intern”.
A chaotic character who lies through her teeth and resents her mother for her father’s debt should be unlikable; Bea never is. Through Isley Lynn and Libby Rodcliffe’s beautifully truthful writing, Rodcliffe’s stellar performance, and the generous doses of wit that cut through moments of high tension, Bea is complex, funny, and indisputably human. The audience cannot ask for more, safe in the hands of this deeply developed and compelling lead.
The cultural criticism at the heart of Jobsworth feels distinctly conversational, with moving effect. Early in the play, Bea confesses that she does not disclose her second job to the tax office, a crime which she explains would be perfectly fine had she been “bequeathed” the money, inherited it as land, or popped it into an offshore account. The play is most biting when it digs into these double standards and shines a light on British classism, taking a wonderfully effective show-not-tell approach to how the wealthiest “offload” their work onto others with a nauseating, HR-endorsed smile. Lynn and Rodcliffe’s comedic writing is at its sharpest during Bea’s on-the-clock banter, making the tonal shift during the outburst that she is not a “friend”, but simply “staff”, all the more wounding.
Humour and stress are delicately balanced throughout the play, addressing topics as heavy as cycles of debt and panic attacks with realistic strength and normality, not dramatised woe. The stage’s stark white desk and minimalist orb lamps echo the glossy, cold corporate world Bea navigates, while the versatile physicality of Rodcliffe’s multi-role performance fills the space, under Nicky Allpress’ clever direction.
The first 40 minutes of this 80-minute show are excellently paced, presenting a near-perfect solo play. Somewhere after this, the series of scenes that show Bea losing control of the many pins she has been juggling marks a shift from realism into a relentlessness that risks wearying audience members. Climactic breakdowns become slightly too regular, lessening the emotional impact of each, and previously sharp dialogue exposing loan shark policies slips into information dumping. Tightening those later moments of vulnerability would perfect a play that otherwise provides a masterclass in how theatre can make compelling, entertaining political commentary that does not fall at its own hurdle of trying to be culturally relevant.
Jobsworth asks what we are really worth, in and out of our jobs, placing the cost-of-living and unemployment crises under a microscope to reveal the funny and poignant beauty of human will. It does this subtly, enveloped in laughs and driven by Rodcliffe’s skilful performance as our relatable, charming host. So log off from Teams for an evening, put down LinkedIn, and let Bea do the work for you.
Written by Isley Lynn & Libby Rodliffe
Directed by Nicky Allpress
Sound Design by Matteo Depares
Produced by Prentice Productions in association with Park Theatre.
Jobsworth plays at Park Theatre until Saturday 6 December.
