Review: GROAN UPS, Oxford Playhouse (UK tour)
Last night we had the pleasure of attending the latest addition to Mischief Theatre’s rip-roaring roster of shows, the aptly named Groan Ups.
The best way to describe this millennial madness would be Matilda meets God of Carnage which, for any other company, would sound bonkers but with Mischief, you know you are always guaranteed some frantic farcical fun.
The story follows five people through their lives, from childhood all the way through to fully bloomed, or should I say in this case, fully wilted adulthood. We watch them through the years as they grow together through first school, to high school and then we watch as they inevitably grow apart in later years. However, as the group meet up for their high school reunion, the fact of life is chaotically reaffirmed that though as humans we keep growing, we never truly grow up.
From the second the show starts, we are treated to a high energy, full throttle performance from all cast members, with noone falling short for a second throughout the piece. Daniel Abbot is riveting in the character of Archie, Yolanda Ovide is deliciously relentless as the attention seeking Moon, and Lauren Samuels shows great comic ability in the role of Katie.
Dharmesh Patel’s layered performance is particularly enjoyable as the slightly tragic class clown Spencer, and Matt Cavendish in the role of Simon, who you’re not sure whether to hug or shake firmly on the shoulders. Both are clearly highly adept in their craft.
Jamie Birkett and Killian Macardle also deserve a shoutout for their more than welcomed additions to the second act, both ripping across the stage like comedy tornadoes.
Fly Davis’ set design is absolutely perfect too, and its intricate changes throughout the show is a feast for the eyes.
Overall, an extremely enjoyable experience and whilst it feels like you have to slightly weather through the first act at points, it’s absolutely worth it, as every joke set up initially comes round full circle to hit a bullseye in the second half of the show. Though the characters in the show are all clearly different, they CLEARLY all just wanted one thing and that was “to be loved” - don’t we all?
NEVER grow up Mischief! You are the breath of fresh air that the industry needs and we can’t wait to watch your shows for years to come.
A joyful jaunt.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: James Edge
Groan Ups plays at Oxford Playhouse until 18 September and continues to tour until March 2022. To book tickets for ATG venues, please click here.
