The funeral of a loved one can be that life changing event that brings together long lost relatives and friends who otherwise wouldn’t have connected, or through time have lost contact. A time to say final goodbyes, the confrontation of life and death is stark. Exploring what these interactions look like, Blue Pear Productions’ Drop Dead reunites six souls all brought together to rehearse the funeral of Mr Bebach, an enigmatic wealthy extraordinaire. What ensues is an absurd encounter, one filled with plenty of comical twists and turns.
A Cluedo-esque, meets Brit Flick meets Brit Sitcom, Drop Dead basks in its unserious nature. For the most part, interactions entertaining to watch – the absurdity of Mr Bebach planning a rehearsal for his funeral the overriding presence of the evening, an invisible question mark adding to the confusion and comedy. The cast’s witty one liners a staple of the show, a laugh a minute, this dark comedy amuses from beginning to end – the company crafting an unexpected upbeat watch considering the subject matter.
The show’s ensemble-centric nature is a hit, a facet of the show integral to the comedic timing’s success. The show’s six protagonists are audacious – Alexander Bittar’s Gareth a loquacious presence, Tara Farquhar’s Sam a calmer soul, Noah Tucker’s Ralph naive, Madeleine Clark’s Penelope Anastasia ostentatious, Paddy Court’s Alistair otherworldly and Flo Lunnon’s Celeste mercurial.
Blue Pear Productions demonstrate the strong comedic talent we have here in the UK, a self deprecating, wicked, dry yet over exaggerated eye that overlooks the quirky show – it’s clear the cast enjoy performing the piece! A raucous, lighthearted production!
Review written by Lucy Basaba.
Drop Dead is currently showing until Saturday 6th January 2024 at the Drayton Arms Theatre. To find out more about the production, visit here…
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