The Golden Goose Theatre presents an evening of satire and contrast with the double bill of Charlie and Striptease. Part of a project on the Central European Theatre of the Absurd, the plays are both by the Polish playwright Sławomir Mrożek, writing in the 1960s and 1970s, when Poland was part of the Soviet Union. They make for a fun combination of social commentary and humour, but despite the engaging premises, this production is an acquired taste.
The play Charlie comes first, telling the story of an oculist trying to save himself from a trigger-happy Grandpa and his Grandson, who are on a mission to kill ‘Charlie’, whoever, and as many of him, as that may be. A sharp critique of power structures and the elite, with a shocking twist at the end, the piece is definitely thought-provoking.
There is an excellent standard of characterisation from the performers, and Kenneth Michaels as Grandpa was particularly hilarious, making good use of his time on stage despite the smaller part.
With a runtime of just under an hour, Charlie is self-contained and relatively short, but it still felt as though it was dragging in spite of this. The performers were fond of long, drawn-out pauses in both pieces, which sometimes detracted from the humour rather than adding to it. Even aside from them being translated works, the dialogue often felt quite stilted, with little variation in tone and pace.
Even though it suffered a little from the same issue, Striptease, the second piece, is definitely the better of the two. It seemed more rehearsed and was able to better engage the audience. It shows an absurd series of events in which two businessmen find themselves locked in a room together, wherein a mysterious ‘hand’ demands that they hand over pieces of clothing, one by one, all while the two strangers are locked in an ideological debate over the concept of ‘inner freedom’.
An unsubtle commentary on ideas of activism and passivism against a state determined to remove personal freedoms, Striptease is still very relevant today, outside of the context of the Soviet Union. Director Orsolya Nagy had a goal to deliver an experience of the absurd that is relatable today, and this was certainly achieved through this performance. Rowland D. Hill and Simon Brandon once again demonstrated their incredible grasp of their characters, and congratulations again to Kenneth Michaels, for somehow making ‘The Hand’ a full character unto itself.
Taken together, Charlie and Striptease offer an evening that is intellectually rich but not always theatrically satisfying. There is no doubt that Sławomir Mrożek’s writing still carries bite, and this production makes a clear effort to politically resonate with a contemporary audience. However, the pacing issues and occasionally rigid delivery mean that the absurdity does not always land with the sharpness it promises. While Striptease ultimately elevates the show with its stronger cohesion and engagement, this double bill is unlikely to appeal to those not already familiar with the unconventional rhythms of absurdist theatre.
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