Press by Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller. Brockley Jack Studio theatre, Brocklet Road, London SE4 until 5 July 2025, 4☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.
“Photo Credit – Black Bat Productions.”
Press by Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller. Brockley Jack Studio theatre, Brocklet Road, London SE4 until 5 July 2025,
4☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.
“Entertaining but brief.”
Hot from the Edinburgh fringe this satire by Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller about Hollywood has bite and fine performances from the embattled producers faced with a crisis involving their new film and the Goldie – for which read Oscar – nominations ahead. Their director, a wild card at best of times, is out of touch and horror of horrors their Civil War epic based on a true story has a fatal flaw – the leading character,. in life a black man, is played by a white one.
It must have sparkled on the fringe – short, witty and with neatly observed performances by Brimmer-Bell and Rosie Hart as the desperate duo - but on the hottest night of the year at the Jack Studio it did struggle and the audience was rather quiet. When it ended people sat there until told it was over, the interval had not arrived. The piece opens with a bitchy interview between David Fring,the lead producer played by Brimmer-Bell, and an unseen television anchor woman which amuses partly because Brimmer-Bell is very good at squirming after which he and his co-producer Kate Smalls, played by Rosie Hart, get on the phone trying to save the day. For an evening in the theatre it really needs a companion piece – London fringe demands a little more than what goes down well in Edinburgh where short is good as it allows the itinerant fringe audience to trot off to another show or even three. In London it is a night out for everyone and a bonne bouche like this is really not enough. On the other hand it is well crafted, funny, adeptly performed and has quite a lot to say about how Hollywood behaves in a crisis. You lay diwn your friends for your life.
Cast
Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller – David Fring.
Rosie Hart – Kate Smalls.
Creatives
Director – Nathaniel Brimmer- Beller.
