From the 23rd to the 27th of June, The Old Red Lion Pub and Playhouse will be hosting a limited run of poor napoleon!, Eddie Holmes-Milner’s debut full-length play. It’s the perfect space for it: a six-hundred-year-old pub and the nearly fifty-year-old theatre space above it carry the appropriate charm and cosiness for a play that is equally as farcical as it is vulnerable.
Expecting to understand much of poor napoleon! from the show copy is ambitious. All the audience is given are hints about a history-loving teenage boy, his baffled sister, and some bewildering references to the former French emperor from which the play takes its name. This is for the best though, as going in with very little context allows audience members to be surprised and often delighted by this smart comedy and its insightful reflections on insecurity and mental health amongst young men.
A significant part of what makes poor napoleon! work is the cast, and their full commitment to being as silly, as melodramatic or as earnest as the scene requires. Andrew Greaves is wonderful in the lead role of Tim, the isolated teenager who looks towards Emperor Napoleon for a role model. Greaves’ portrayal of Tim as an awkward shut-in, stumbling behind an obviously fake ego, is perfectly in sync with today’s “incels” – the online community of aggrieved young men who turn to misogyny and hyper-masculinity in their isolation.
Alongside Greaves, Sophie Kean and Grace Lyons make up the rest of the cast, splitting themselves between two night-and-day characters in Tim’s life. The contrast between both of Sophie Kean’s two characters and the emotional diversity that Kean demonstrates is impressive to see. Meanwhile, Lyons takes on the show’s physical comedy with finesse, establishing herself as poor napoleon!’s comedic backbone.
Despite the comedy, there was room enough for reflection and ample material for audiences to chew over without any of the messages feeling spoon-fed or overwrought. The intimate space felt perfect for the more vulnerable scenes, but it did also draw attention to the occasional scenes that went on for just a little too long. Any excessiveness is likely because, in terms of ideas, poor napoleon! aims high and doesn’t take itself too seriously. As a result, it’s a winner.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
