Reviews

The Summer House (Plymouth)

Men Behaving Badly meets Odin and the beavers…. that’s the premise of Fuel’s The Summer House, a new production currently on tour.

Devised by multiple award-winner director John Wright and the three performers – charismatic Neil Haigh (last here with Pub Rock and Hard-Hearted Hannah), Matthew Steer (Comedy Central’s Britain’s Best Mates) and Perrier Comedy Award winner Will Adamsdale (whose film debut was in The Boat That Rocked) – this new piece is an inventive, if slightly overly long, 100 non-stop minutes.

British doctors on a stag-do in Iceland lose the crowd and head off on a drunken journey into the remote lava fields and mountains (complete with earthquake) to a summer house known to new friend the mysterious Neil.

With just a few chairs, a sheet of plastic, lots of bottles and a leaf blower (and heaps of superb technical wizardry), the trio take the audience on their journey from frivolous fun through shocking truths to several chilling conclusions interspersed with Norse mythology and heroic Vikings.

A superbly petulant Thor, desperately trying to get the right look with his wayward cloak; an ubiquitous raven; deadpan Vikings awaiting execution discussing the beheading skills of their captors; hot tub debates, drunken trashings and booze-fuelled heroics – all beautifully brought to life by the dynamic trio greatly assisted by excellent lighting and sound by Ian Scott and Chris Branch.

Warm, funny, spot-on comedy with dark undertones – very entertaining.