‘A triumph! An accomplished celebration of man landing on the moon’
Repertory company Arrows and Traps are known for adaptations of classics. Here they have tripped into a high voltage situation, its either ‘electric’ or its sudden death. In some measure because this play, written and directed by Ross McGregor, is that least fashionable of genres, a farce.
There are two reasons why they pull it off, it has astute writing and an established crack team of theatre makers. The outstanding set alone is worth coming to see. If at first, we might be concerned that Justin Williams impeccable set might dominate the play, from the first moment of Christopher Tester’s opening lines, he is commanding the show along with the rest of this exceptional cast.
The story is a celebration of NASA’s ‘giant leap’, the wonder of man stepping onto the moon in 1969, 50 year ago. The show is set in a television production studio complete with luna set, for a sci-fi show (think Star Trek kitsch). The sci-fi show isn’t getting the ratings and is being axed by the television company. The cast have not been told in the hope that a solution can be found. Amid this crisis, an FBI man (Alex Stevens) turns up to tell the director (Tester) he has got to fake the moon landing. NASA can get to the moon; they just can’t film there because it’s too hot. Or can they? The story gets more complex as a sub-plot intertwines ramping up the stakes.
Ross McGregor’s script is stuffed full of clever lines which demand expert comic timing from the cast. Three of the actors, Charlie Ryall, Christopher Tester and Will Pinchin are particularly magnificent. Ryall and Tester help to ground the show whilst chaos is happening all around them. Pinchin’s psychedelia of physicality tells a thousand tales.
The movement, directed by Matthew Parker, shows his experience as a master of farce and absurdism. Whilst the two scenes in which the entire cast are rushing around on stage could do with a little tightening up, the many other choreographed movements have his stamp written all over them. The riotously funny set dance piece and Perry (Daniel Chezzi) falling in love with the ladder are just two examples of the expert physicality of the show.
ONE GIANT LEAP is a triumph for Arrows and Traps Company. Don’t miss this large cast show superbly presented in the comfortable (and now fully air conditioned) Jack Studio Theatre.
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