Following the phenomenal sell-out success of its multi award-winning comedy The Play That Goes Wrong, Mischief’ Theatre’s The Comedy About A Bank Robbery, is a fast and fabulous comedy caper hailed the funniest show in the West End!
Its set in the Summer, 1958. Minneapolis City Bank has been entrusted with a priceless diamond. An escaped convict is dead set on pocketing the gem with the help of his screwball sidekick, trickster girlfriend… and the maintenance man. With mistaken identities, love triangles and hidden agendas, even the most reputable can’t be trusted. In a town where everyone’s a crook, who will end up bagging the jewel?
The set opens to a prison break out scene, only all the staff are in on it and want to join in the robbery. If they act like prison staff they apologise as they have to keep up appearances by acting nasty. Anyway, Mitch and Coop are going to plan to steal the diamond, but things keep getting in their way. A pretty girl, losing the dynamite, witnesses, its not easy being a criminal. Mitch is played by Liam Jeavons and is fantastic in the role. You feel a bit sorry for him and want him to get straight and have a good life. His partner in crime is Coop played by David Coomber who is a bit of a drama queen and very funny but together they truly believe they can steal this rare diamond.
Meanwhile the bank manager, Robin Freeboys is excited that his bank has been chosen to keep the diamond safe. He has no idea is daughter, Caprice is rather dodgy and blags money from possible suitors. Caprice is played by Julia Frith and she is not only funny but has a great voice too. Her new love interest is Sam Monaghan who is dodgy himself and his mum works at her dad’s bank. Yes, it’s a bit incestuous. Sam is played by Sean Carey and he is sweet and really does seem to like Caprice.
I loved the way they change the sets, by singing to distract us. This is a stroke of genius and I loved the do-wap feel to the show. The very clever scene in the second act where you are looking down on the bank from above is also a masterpiece.
This show is funny. Fact. There are different types of humour its true but this show has something for everyone. There is a bit of slapstick; there is a play on words; there are funny situations in a farce style; it’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen and even better than The Play That Goes Wrong in my opinion. There is so much to enjoy that I would suggest going to see it more than once.
Some jokes are in the classic vein of The Two Ronnies, for example, When the officer is looking for Freeboys, Sam says yes there is three boys over there. If he joins them there would be four boys. There are also fast ‘throw away’ jokes such as when asking for Neil they all kneel. There is a really funny situation where Sam is pretending to be Freeboys and Caprice is playing ‘Give us a clue’ behind her ex-boyfriend’s back to help Sam out with information. Oh, how funny it was for Sam to try to get the information correct, and why all three people couldn’t be from the same place which would have been easier, but no, Caprice mimes out three separate places.
I’m doing the show a disservice by trying to explain jokes that you really need to be there to see. With an outstanding cast and a brilliant script, this is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen on stage and I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you miss this, you will regret it.
The Comedy About A Bank Robbery is at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre until 16 March.
