The Incident

Assembly
15 – 30 August, 15.45

What to make of a play where the actors greet you at the door, thank you for coming, apologise for the heat, check you are the prescribed age (16). Apparently, they had to throw out a 14 year old the day before. In this odd, surreal two-hander a shop assistant handles a customer in a sexually inappropriate manner. Or at least, not in a way that you’d expect in a visit to Jenners for instance.

That moment sparks fighting, verbal-sparring, bonding, simulated mutual masturbation and jeans swapping. Trying to fathom what is going on – it is probably about masculinity – is difficult. However, the performances by Australian comedians, Sam Simmons and David Quirk, are winning. They could do with a bit less shouting, which would make the scenes, some of which are quite touching albeit absurd, play better. There are many laughs along the way but as Simmons himself says, the show is weird. It is also quite compelling, entertaining and likeable. And weird.