This is such a funny show which is filled to the brim with giggles, laughter, chortles, screeches and however many descriptive words I can think of – well, to be honest, I am not sure there are enough funny words to say how amazingly bonkers this is.
This is physical comedy theatre at its finest and is a joy to marvel at the levels of energy, and entertainment these three actors can provide to an audience.
We meet three hapless squires Dave, Osbert and Edgar who’ve accidentally agreed to put on a performance for the people of Camelot to showcase the legends of King Arthur. Unfortunately the squires cannot read, write, or act and are very much in trouble, especially as they find there are no legendary stories, therefore in their moment of desperation they agree to embellish and exaggerate the stories in their attempt at putting on a show to please the King.
The first half is about the three squires travelling the lands to find stories and we meet all the Arthurian characters such as Merlin, Guinevere, Lancelot and Morgana like we’ve never seen them before. For example, Merlin is a little unhinged as he boils his underpants in the cauldron and Lancelot is a chef with a hilarious French accent.
Once the squires realise there are no actual stories interesting enough for the performance, they panic and try to get out of it by pretending to be members of the court in order to persuade the King to change his mind. This is hilariously genius as you need to remember there are only three actors playing all the characters. Here they are playing a squire playing a character, sometimes swapping characters as things go awry. It sets itself up for layers of chaotic comedy which is mayhem at it’s funniest.
Of course the squires fail and the show must go on, which means the second half is the show they put on for the King and it’s filled with their made up stories which are even more bonkers, ridiculous and barmy and cause enormous merriment for us the audience.
The set is fantastic as it has trap doors, ladders to fall off from, nooks and crannies which lend themselves to endless stunts, and the costumes are very fitting to the craziness that is happening.
This show is excellent. I’ll say it again, there are only three fabulous actors: Nick Bunt, Al Dunn and Matt Freeman and between them there are ninety costume changes which are almost done effortlessly, like the gags, the stunts and silliness which seems chaotic, it is cleverly planned and executed but should it go wrong, it’s added into the script immediately, as well as the ad libbing and the attempt at making each other laugh which we, the audience thoroughly enjoyed.
There are not 30 seconds that go by throughout the whole performance where there is not a funny moment, whether it’s a facial gesture, a physical fall or frying pan in the face, a pun, a joke, something nonsensical, or sidesplittingly absurd such a Merlin dressing up as Cher singing ‘If I Can Turn Back Time’. The endless energy for clowning about is wonderfully appreciated by the audience as could be heard by our constant laughing out loud. The lady sitting next to me was bending over double she was laughing so hard.
There was plenty of inclusive audience participation, from throwing rotten vegetables at the squires in the stocks, to joining in the breaking the 4th wall humour, and if sharp enough shouting panto retorts in the right place, but it’s the laughter participation that is painlessly mandatory which adds to the exuberant liveliness in the theatre.
Le Navet Bete is the theatre company and if you every come across one of their shows – go and watch it.
With thanks to Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds.
Go here for the YouTube Shorts Review.