HA HA HA: Sam Dowling

Ha Ha Ha: Sam Dowling
1157 Performance Group.

Runs: 1 hr 30 mins. No Interval. Wolverhampton Arena Theatre

Ranjit Khutan: 15th March 2006

Smile funny - but sometimes I longed for the end
Ha Ha Ha is a fusion of clowning, physical theatre, and theatre of the absurd, through which we are presented with a dream like and highly surreal play. It’s hard to tell when the performance starts and ends, and although enjoyable I must admit at times I did long for the end which was 1 hour and 30 minutes away (with no interval). It is this lack of control and structure that appeals to a specific audience – one that is not restricted in it’s view of the boundaries of theatre and throws control out of the window.

Essentially this is an existential exploration of three actors from the black and white days of film – Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier and Noel Coward. A complex blend of video projections, live camera feed showing backstage action, and a Post-modern black and white central set in which the actors chat to themselves and to the audience over a chattering, hissing soundtrack which at times resembles white noise.

It’s smile funny, but it’s not laugh out loud funny – at times it’s even slightly cringe worthy. But is this intentional? It’s hard to say. These actors are talented and clever – as evidenced by their compacted take on Shakespearean plays – but it begs the question that is the joke really on the audience who as Jo Dagless states “they paid £8 to see this.” It is unfortunate that they settled on this play to showcase their talents because at times their real talents as actors and comedians seeps out and this is stunning.

Vivien Leigh: Jo Dagless
Laurence Olivier: Matthew Scott
Noel Coward: Kevin Johnson

Director: Sam Dowling

2006-03-22 15:46:31