Review: GOSH! at Canal Café Theatre, Monday, 16 & 17 May 2022
‘Beautifully performed, slightly confused in the meta-theatricality, but very entertaining’ ★★★ ½
Kit Loyd and Hamish Clayton met when collaborating on a show at the Drayton Arms Theatre and offer shows at Theatre503 and the Old Red Lion on their CVs. It’s safe to assume they know whereof they speak when it comes to setting a play on a pub theatre stage. Kit Lloyd is Joe Hayward, a hapless insurance salesman and wannabe stand-up comic. Joe isn’t very good, and Kit Hayward does a fine job of presenting his clunky act, which makes for weird dissonant laughs – Joe’s jokes are awful, Kit’s rubber-faced clowning is funny.
It was slightly discombobulating to find myself laughing at the Joe character, and by and large I was more comfortable with Kit’s delicate clowning as he romanced a broom and demonstrated his sic rapping skills. Laughs of admiration are the staples of pub theatres, mockery belongs in comedy venues. Kit and Hamish set out to explore this distinction but got a bit lost as they traced Joe’s character arc. Kit’s clowning schtick was more impressive. It was demonstrated most clearly when Kit acted out the other characters in Joe’s life. That was impressive, the presentation through pre-recorded voice-over seemed like wasted opportunities – seeing the characters brought to life was altogether more fun.
Beautifully performed, slightly confused in the meta-theatricality, but very entertaining. Kit Loyd’s rubber-face clowning is a joy.
gosh! by Kit Loyd and Hamish Clayton
19:30 at Canal Cafe Theatre, 16 or 17th May 2022
Slow Mojo Collective
Twitter @slowmojoco
Reviewer:
Chris Lilly read Drama at Hull University in the 70s, stage-managed a bit, spent 8 years as a community arts worker in Tower Hamlets, did the occasional tech job, then taught in East London and participated in shedloads of community theatre. Since retiring from teaching, he has acquired an MA in 'Theatre' from the University of Surrey and indulged a passion for live performance anywhere in London courtesy of his Freedom Pass. Twitter @starsshinestill
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