What would you do if the phone rang one day and you found out if you were now in charge of the whole world? What would you tackle first? There’s poverty, inequality, the climate crisis… but we also don’t have a global song contest! Thick n Fast (also known as Cassie Symes and Georgina Thomas), ‘named one of the “Best Duos at the Fringe” by The Scotsman’, explore what might happen in this situation in their hilarious show, General Secretary.
Cassie and Georgie are two ordinary women struggling with writing the next hit song about sambuca shandies and dealing with a demanding boss who hasn’t paid them in three months. They have no experience or training when it comes to running the world which is exactly why they are given that task. Surprisingly they soon discover that sorting out all the world’s problems is actually quite hard, but as strong powerful (white) women who listen to Rihanna, surely they can come up with a solution, right?
As writers, directors and principal cast, the pressure is on for Symes and Thomas and they certainly rise to the occasion. The strength of General Secretary lies within the script, and some of the jokes are so eye-wateringly funny that even the duo have trouble keeping a straight face. The hammy American accents, which are utilised occasionally, are perhaps the weakest part of their performance but the vocal talent and physical comedy certainly make up for that.
The set is minimal and the simple costume changes effectively communicate the switch to different characters from Cassie and Georgie, to the American military bros, and finally the uptight news anchors. The use of multiple white landline phones does come across as a bit odd, especially when the duo are reading emails off them. It’s meant to be absurd but the joke doesn’t quite land, however, this is a minor quibble. The use of the projector screen for the news reports is perhaps the funniest part of the performance (although it’s hard to be sure, it’s all hysterical), the stock photo graphics and puns will have you clutching your sides as will the musical number at the end.
General Secretary could perhaps merit some polishing, however, there is something delightfully charming and human about its few flaws. Its discussion of serious subjects does come across a bit light at times, however, this is certainly on-brand for millennial humour. In addition, the queer coded subtext adds a bit of welcome diversity to the piece, and by the end, you’ll definitely be crying with laughter. Symes and Thomas have serious talent and one wouldn’t be surprised if they became household names in the future.
General Secretary was presented at Soho Theatre on 1st February
