Someone once called the Adriatic ‘the largest unmarked mass grave in Europe’. It’s a hard-hitting, controversial statement that speaks to human suffering at the heart of illegal immigration - and it isn’t remotely funny. The production Destination GB isn’t funny either; in contrast, however, it hasn’t got a cat's chance in hell of contributing anything meaningful to the debate on immigration.
The cast of five from St. Mary’s University College, Twickenham stumble through a wantonly clichéd interpretation of race and illegal migration which relies entirely on crude, cookie-cutter cultural and sexual stereotypes to propel its juvenile humour along the predictable trajectory of its underdeveloped plot. It is unclear whether the performance is over-scripted improv or an under-rehearsed play, but the result is undeniably shambolic. The performers seem to have forgotten that the key element in ensemble theatre is the interplay between actors and characters; in this show, it’s one way traffic towards Kieran Edwards, who with most of the lines and gags is carrying his companions the way Morcambe used to carry Wise, and Reeves used to carry Mortimer.
If this is supposed to be irony – and given that the only black member of the cast makes monkey noises and scratches her armpits, I hope it is – then it is unintelligent and unsubtle, and the punchline never comes. The closest this show gets to reflecting the realities of illegal immigration is in taking people’s money, shutting them into a small, dark, crowded space and letting them down badly.
I could not disagree with this review more strongly. The play was clever and incredibly funny, with a serious undertone that is carried throughout from a wonderfully talented cast. All the people I have spoken to who have seen it have only sung its praises, and this also comes from a women who’s job it is everyday, is working with immigrate children and families completely agreed with the over PC culture we live in now a days and how this is portrayed throughout the play. Congratulations on a wonderful debut at the Edinburgh Festival.
It is a pity that sometimes in the festival a clearly inexperienced and self important reviewer places their own ego above the role and function that they have come to serve. Clearly you did not like this show Paris, what about the rest of the audience? Are they all much more stupid than you? Or perhaps they have a sense of humour? This is not a one star show. By putting the boot in like this you say more about your own prejudice and lack of sophistication than you do about the work that you have seen. You should be ashamed.
I cannot believe we watched the same show, Paris. It was funny, poignant and spoke volumes about prejudice and stereotyping in society today. The audience at my performance loved it and clearly appreciated the very talented cast.
I can't believe the comments made by this reviewer. I watched this performance in Edinburgh and thought it was one of the funniest i saw during my time there.
Now clearly this reviewer has no sense of humor and hasn't gathered the fact that it clearly took these actors lots of confidence to come out for the first time in Edinburgh and put on a performance as well as they did.
Paris, I don't know what sort of mushrooms you have been eating, but I can assure you that absolutely everyhing you just wrote is a complete contrast to what I and my friends saw. I thought it was one of the funniest pices I have ever seen, and they did exeedingly well. The structure and strong stereotypical jokes were amazing, and the acting was spot on. I couldn't pick any faults in the show other than the fact they are letting stuck up reviewers like yourself into the audience