REVIEW: GRAVE MISTAKE By Matthew Ballantyne & Toby Hampton at The Hope Theatre 27 May – 7 June 2025

‘farcical comedy which is surprisingly insightful‘ ★★★★

Experienced writers Matthew Ballantyne and Toby Hampton have written a very funny piece about sisters who own a funeral parlour which is in financial crisis. The overbearing elder sister, Regina, wants to open ‘Jolly Gina’s Gin Bar & Spa’ in the space above the funeral parlour whereas sensible Harriet thinks that is a ludicrous idea. She wants to concentrate on improving the services to clients. Add clueless intern, Matthew into the equation and chaos ensues. When the three attempt to provide the best funeral experience for two widows, they accidentally double book them for the same day … and you’ll have to see the show to find out how the problem is resolved.

Okay, Harriet is right, it is ludicrous but so much about the show is really human, the Bridget Jones moment and so, strangely it just stays within the realms of possibility. Especially the trials with the planning authorities, who haven’t yet given the go ahead for the Gin Bar & Spa, and who just happen to be relatives of one of the widows, upper class sociopath, Mrs Farrington.   She’s horrendous, and it’s Sod’s law that the relationship gets off on the wrong foot.

The show is treading the line between comedy, drama and farce with a tendency to plump for high farce. Laurel Marks, as Harriet, has sensitivity and shows the pain of being the put upon younger sister.  Gabrielle Nellis-Pain playing Regina, is all high farce and I just wish that she would find the same inner pain, showing her vulnerability, being the elder sister who somehow never manages to succeed but just keeps trying.  It’s a big ask, to go from high farce to that inner struggle, as the play is very complicated and potentially a huge smorgasbord of emotion.  I just think that it needs to be played for real and hopefully Nellis-Pain will find that extra bit as the play settles into the run. 

Gabriel Fogarty-Graveson finds that middle ground in his role as Malcom and how refreshing to have a male ditzy character, as these are usually female.  Malcom certainly can’t multi-task and he’s like everyone’s hapless teenager finding their feet and making horrendous mistakes along the way.  Molly-Rose Treves plays all the other roles. They are very much stock characters, well observed and she’s got a huge number of costume changes which is all done behind the scenes, so she just keeps popping out through one of the three doors in the set build. She has one of the best lines in the show as a pompous Priest waking up from a deep sleep: ‘But I wanted to feed the 5,000’. 

If high farce is where the director, Toby Hampton wants to take it, then should he step up the tempo in the second act or give us some slapstick? We’ve all seen The Play That Goes Wrong and this show would have to compete with that. As it stands, the writing is so clever, and addresses so many issues that face small businesses today with excellent humour, but also sharp insight and humanity.   Along with superb character observations. So, if it could just find that inner life … it’s likely to elevate the piece.

It's hard to put across just how much is in this show in one brief review,  you need to see it, to appreciate the breadth of ideas and funny stuff contained within it. At two hours with a 15 minute interval, it’s a full evening of entertainment.

GRAVE MISTAKE By Matthew Ballantyne & Toby Hampton at The Hope Theatre 27 May – 7 June 2025

BOX OFFICE https://www.thehopetheatre.com/

CAST

Regina: Gabrielle Nellis-Pain

Harriet: Laurel Marks

Malcolm: Gabriel Fogarty-Graveson

Mrs Clarke/Mrs Farrington/Rev Plumpkin: Molly-Rose Treves

CREATIVE TEAM

Writer: Matthew Ballantyne & Toby Hampton

Director Toby Hampton

Associate Producer: Ru Lawrence 

Assistant Director: Joshua Maughan