Drop Dead. Drayton Arms Theatre.

Will Bebach is stinking rich, the fortuitous result of some dodgy “pump-and-dump” stock market shenanigans. He has an “ego big enough to be seen from space” and, apparently, a perverse sense of humour, evidenced by his decision to have himself sealed in a coffin and simulate his own funeral. Wife Penelope Anastasia, 30 years the tycoon’s junior and known affectionately as “Penas”, is none too pleased at having to rustle up the memorial hors d’oeuvres. But being “far too pretty to work”, and this being a show pitched mid-way between absurdism and farce, that is just what the unfortunate pseudo-widow is required to do. What could go wrong? Quite a lot, inevitably.

Invitees to the faux burial include Will’s ex-Army buddy Gareth (Alexander Bittar), and Gareth’s twin offspring in the form of fiery and fractious Sam (Tara Farquhar) and nice-but-dim Ralph (Noah Tucker). Present also is Will’s lover, psychic medium and “professional predictor” Celeste (Flo Lunnon in full-on Blithe Spirit Madame Arcati mode). Gardener Alistair (Paddy Court), famed far and wide for the shape and size of his prize-winning aubergines, makes up the final member of the funerial sextet.

Matters get complicated when a list of Will’s proposed final bequests emerges. The tycoon plans on leaving his cash to just one of the six attendees, an idea which leaves the other five fuming. Of course, “if Will wills it, Will can change his will”, but will he? Anticipate intriguing a plenty, a seance, mistaken identities, revelations of long-hidden family secrets, and double-entendres along the lines of “come with me to the cherry tree and I’ll pop your back garden”. A further complication arises when the tycoon’s coffin mysteriously disappears.

The creative team behind Drop Dead, in the main Durham University alumni, had a success with an earlier version of the show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. This production boasts an additional 40-minutes runtime. One cannot help feeling this extended version is a tad over-stuffed, particularly as you may well clock on to the likely ending ten minutes into the first act. Some nifty physical comedy aside, sometimes more is not more.

Still, there is fun to be had on the way. Maddie Clark’s scheming and sexually ambiguous Penas has just the right amount of self-righteous cunning. Lunnon’s Celeste adds in unbidden vowels here and there to comic some effect; her Gareth emerges as Ga-aaaa-reth, her hypnotise as hypno-tee-say. Court is great too as arch country-bumpkin Alastair whose eyes light up at the mere mention of a vegetable.

Writers: Maddie Clark, Alexander Bittar, Tara Farquhar, Noah Tucker, Juliette Willis, Roemer Lips, & Raish Holloway

Director: Juliette Willis

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