Windfall - Southwark Playhouse Borough, Main Stage
Feb 14, 2023 22:52:11 GMT
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joem, Mark, and 1 more like this
Post by Steve on Feb 14, 2023 22:52:11 GMT
Saw the matinée of this comedy today. Thought the first half set-up was merely amusing, but that the no-holds-barred second half payoff was belly laugh hilarious. Worth it for a good laugh!
Some spoilers follow. . .
Basically, a conniving boss puts his 5 peon white collar workers, in Columbus Ohio, through layers of on-the-job persecution, with the threat of a firing looming. So far, so Mike Bartlett's "Bull," with an office instead of a boxing ring as a set.
But then, the religious one gets a "vision" of a $500 million lottery win that will allow the 5 to escape, and things go haywire and get genuinely funny. . .
The tone of the first half is like an episode of "The Office," while the tone of the second half is more like Basil Fawlty beating up Manuel, where everyone wants to take a turn at being Basil Fawlty.
As the meekest and most seemingly mild of the employees, Audrey Anderson's Hannah generates huge laughs as her worm turns into a Basil Fawlty; as the most submissive Manuel of the group, Wesley Griffith gets huge laughs by taking the most abuse; and as the most pompous and preeningly religious employee, Gabriel Paul gets huge laughs when his mask finally slips.
Other comedic joys include: how extremely and gleefully abusive Jack Bennett's Boss character gets with his employees; how superior his pet employee, Joanne Clifton's Jacqueline Vanderbilt, can act with the others; and just how much crap long-suffering Judith Amsenga's Kate is willing to put up with.
For me, it's when the whole thing gets really silly in the second half that the belly laughs come. A comedy that actually builds to laughs. 4 stars from me.
Some spoilers follow. . .
Basically, a conniving boss puts his 5 peon white collar workers, in Columbus Ohio, through layers of on-the-job persecution, with the threat of a firing looming. So far, so Mike Bartlett's "Bull," with an office instead of a boxing ring as a set.
But then, the religious one gets a "vision" of a $500 million lottery win that will allow the 5 to escape, and things go haywire and get genuinely funny. . .
The tone of the first half is like an episode of "The Office," while the tone of the second half is more like Basil Fawlty beating up Manuel, where everyone wants to take a turn at being Basil Fawlty.
As the meekest and most seemingly mild of the employees, Audrey Anderson's Hannah generates huge laughs as her worm turns into a Basil Fawlty; as the most submissive Manuel of the group, Wesley Griffith gets huge laughs by taking the most abuse; and as the most pompous and preeningly religious employee, Gabriel Paul gets huge laughs when his mask finally slips.
Other comedic joys include: how extremely and gleefully abusive Jack Bennett's Boss character gets with his employees; how superior his pet employee, Joanne Clifton's Jacqueline Vanderbilt, can act with the others; and just how much crap long-suffering Judith Amsenga's Kate is willing to put up with.
For me, it's when the whole thing gets really silly in the second half that the belly laughs come. A comedy that actually builds to laughs. 4 stars from me.
