Review: Cogito Ergo… Something?, Bedlam Theatre

The first thing that strikes you as you enter Bedlam Theatre for Cogito, Ergo… Something? is the giant wooden box and full three seater leather sofa dominating the stage. Given how much of Edinburgh Fringe has the most minimal of sets, you have to admire the commitment to bring such large items along. These really aren’t the only impressive things in this farce about two friends thinking they have committed the perfect murder, which of course is never going to be the case.

Sebastian and Anthony (a suitably manic pairing of Rishi Bhardwaj and Lucas Knepper) are those two friends, and that murder forms the very opening moments as poor Henry (Dani J Bryant) is garrotted and dumped in that giant box. “It’s a masterpiece” declares Anthony as the pair sit back gloating about their brilliance and their victim’s (Henry) utterly boring persona, musing that it is not really a murder but a favour to the world: “We’re getting rid of the weeds.”

There’s just one small detail they seem to have overlooked. A mix up of dates means the dinner party they had planned is supposed to begin before Henry’s body is even cold. Thus begins a series of more and more farcical events as the pair attempt to cover up their dastardly deed while hosting their friends.

The show has plenty of great moments that makes it a truly worthwhile visit. The bumbling duo have more than a hint of the TV series Bottom in their set up, so confident of their greatness and yet clearly not the masterminds they believe themselves to be. At times you almost expect a frying pan to be slapped around a head. As friends arrive the chaos is ramped up and the laughter with it. There are some genius moments of comedy dropped in at regularly intervals. The opening bars of Talking Heads’ ‘Psycho Killer’ had me chuckling even before the lyrics kicked in, the song quickly cut off when the song title is screamed out! Then there are the changing aprons Sebastian reappears in from the kitchen with their ridiculous slogans; once again it feels very much a gag borrowed from Bottom. As for the innuendo throughout, it is gloriously written. Yes it’s childish, but it is handled well enough that it doesn’t feel cheap. 

However, there is work needed elsewhere. The closing stages especially could do with rethinking. They start to drag and the joke goes on a little too long. The larger the cast the more difficult it is to manage farce, so when six performers all squeeze onto that sofa there needs to be better control of the chaos. As they all chase one another around it suddenly feels more student amdram than professional production. 

Cogito, Ergo… Something? proves that farce is still alive and in safe hands. There’s so much scope to build on this madcap adventure, a good frying pan is surely long overdue. 

Other cast: Emily Cottle, Reuben Stickland, Jude Ariam, Oliver Mason

Writer and director: James Harvey
Assistant director: Bella Burgess
Produced by Isla Duffy for Edinburgh University Theatre Company
Lighting design: Moses Brzeski-Reilly
Tech: Alex Kerr and Tihani Shahrudin
Set: Hannah Wong and Uliana Makoeeva
Costumes: Scarlett Guang and Rory Young
Costume manager: Madeline Lawrence
Set manager: Ava Tublety
Tech manager: Maysan Abdidayim

Cogito, Ergo… Something? Has completed it’s in as part of Edfringe