Casablanca: The Gin Joint Cut |
Published on Tuesday, 21 August 2012 | |||||
When parodying a classic film, there are two distinct ways of going about it: flat out malicious mockery, or a lovingly playful dig at the original. Casablanca: The Gin Joint Cut is most definitely the latter. Paying homage to one of the most seminal pictures of all time, the performance picks a perfect balance between comedy and drama. The end result? A thoroughly good time, whether you’re familiar with the 40s original or not. Despite its limiting one-hour runtime, The Gin Joint Cut is on the whole a faithful adaption, capturing the most magical scenes of the original. Presented as a show within a show, a small-time theatre company excitedly introduce themselves to the audience in the knowledge that there may well be a big-time agent in their midst. A hilariously human and relatable introduction really endears the troupers to the crowd. It is a diverse performance, engaging the audience with both thigh-slapping comedy and captivating drama. As a parody, there is an inherent silliness to the humour, with most of the jokes revolving around the amateur nature of the in-show company. A cramped set results in some hilarious character interactions for instance, and the actors (so lost in their roles) persistently attempt to light up a cigarette in true 40s style, only to be reminded of the smoking ban. Though hardly original comedy, the gags were delivered with such comfort by the onstage trio that it was impossible to keep a straight face. Indeed, the superb acting is what truly lifted the show. Gavin Mitchell's Rick was an inch-perfect impersonation of Bogart, so good in fact that at times he struggled to convey the amateurism that was at the core of the comedy. Fear not though, as Jimmy Chisholm's plethora of different parts serve as the principal laugh generator - especially when more than one was on stage simultaneously! Playing the gentle beauty of the piece {and} the terrifyingly aggressive Nazi Major Strasser, Clare Waugh had arguably the most difficult job, but one she executed majestically. Casablanca: The Gin Joint Cut doesn't have an easy job - as with all parodies, there was a chance of completely missing the mark and destroying a story so dear to so many. However, so loveable and well-judged and natural is the performance that it's easy to forget the challenges such a small cast faced. Wonderfully daft from start to finish, this truly is a parody worth paying for. |
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FROM OUR ARCHIVES
These are archived reviews of shows from Edinburgh 2012. We keep our archives online as a courtesy to performers, and for readers who'd like to research previous years' reviews.