The Fastest Clock In the Universe

Cougar Glass is cruel, vain and shallow: "I can have a gut full of
maggots for all I care so long as I've got a suntan," he says
nonchalantly.

The protagonist of Philip Ridley's The Fastest Clock In The Universe
is reminiscent of Dorian Gray but instead of Victorian London he lives
in a flat in the modern East End. Like Oscar Wilde's character he is
obsessed with youth, beauty and the power of desire. He treats those
around him as objects, caring for no-one; he is in love with his own
image.

Tom O'Brien's revival of Ridley's drama, first performed some 21 years
ago, is very apt in today's world of celebrity, plastic surgery and
cosmetics.

The Fastest Clock In The Universe is a play about a man's desperate
attempt to cling on to youth and beauty and the destructive effect
this has on himself and those around him. Cougar finds himself fixated
with young Foxtrot Darling, a 15 year-old boy whom he lusts after at
first sight.

On his birthday, Cougar invites Foxtrot around with nefarious intent,
but the evening does not go to plan and tensions develop between the
characters, leading to an explosive denouement.

Ridley's script has some memorable lines, including Captain Tock,
Cougar's long-suffering partner, declaring, "That's all the universe
is: one big torture chamber." The dialogue uses metaphor and
storytelling to explore the depths of the characters who, despite
their flaws, all have some redeeming qualities.

O'Brien's revival includes powerful performances, with the female
cast members Cheetah Bee (Ania Marson), Cougar's neighbour, and
Sherbert Gravel (Nancy Sullivan), Foxtrot's girlfriend, captivating with their funny and moving observations on the action. Cougar shocks, with a strong performance from Joshua Blake, and Ian
Houghton is a likeable Captain Tock.

Sometimes the drama topples over into absurdity, but the humour is
balanced by some frank scenes of sexuality. It explores prescient
questions and certainly packs a punch thanks to Ridley's
telling and forthright language; characters shout and scream and
swear. An exciting, moving, witty and at times disturbing
theatrical experience.

The Fastest Clock In The Universe continues at the Old Red Lion until 30 November 2013