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Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
Brooklyn Heat
Verdict: Comic send-up of American cop soap
London - Canal Café Theatre - February 03
7.30 pm - Thur-Sat - 6-22 Feb 03
Brooklyn Heat’s a theatrical spoof of the 70s American cop TV genre. Spread over 3 weeks, each week is a different episode. Central characters are: deranged cop Al Studebaker (Dan Fox); his partner, quiet intellectual Maurice Johnson (Glynn Reed); their barmy officer in charge, The Chief (Rob Simpson); their immediate boss Constance (Sarah Rickman); struck-off cop, longing to return, Mookie Brown (Mark Richards, who also plays the series' writer Tommy Elkins). Nadia Sohawon plays various key roles in different episodes. Director Matt Eeley plays assorted characters.
Tommy Elkins strolls onstage to introduce Episode One - Mops And Donuts Don’t Mix, and exits. We’re confronted with Mr Big (Nadia Sohawon) and her sleazy tattooed assistant Christie (Matt Eeley). The cops are onto her drug racket, so Christie’s despatched to be a mole in their office.
Cut to Al Studebaker and partner Maurice Johnson, with tattooed spy cleaner Christie lurking with mop and bucket. Their new boss, Constance, arrives determined to clean up Al Studebaker’s rogue cop act. The Chief bursts in periodically to deliver manic strategic judgments.
Christie reports to Mr Big: cops like doughnuts. Mr Big’s already distibuting drugs through a fake doughnut stand, and would-be undercover cop Mookie Brown’s casing it. Not-so-bright Al Studebaker buys a doughnut, carefully poisoned by Mr Big. Will he eat it? Will Mr Big get come-uppance? Can Christie truly handle Mr Sheen and Mr Muscle?
Brooklyn Heat’s a fast-paced delight of comic acting, writing and directing. It’s a show of great achievement, a starburst of excellence in entertainment. It packs a full show into 40 minutes, due to the panache of its scripting, production team, and cast.
Dan Fox is outstanding as the crazed cop Studebaker. He shows a fine grasp of the madness of the character, playing him sane, and creates from the script a masterpiece of comedy characterisation. There’s an easy rapport between Dan Fox and Glynn Reed, who plays his partner Maurice Johnson, which generates comedy even in silence.
Glynn Reed’s Johnson is a fine parody of the American cop with intellectual pretensions - reading Dickens in one excellent gag. His reactions to Studebaker’s outrageous acts deepens their humour. His understanding of the Johnson character produces comedy which is often subtly understated and extremely funny.
Sarah Rickman delivers a glorious Constance, the cop cleaning-up the other cops, but finding uses for their unorthodoxies in the pursuit of crime. She finds a characterisation which contrasts but locks into the relationship of the cop partners, making it and her own role funnier. It’s an elegant piece of convincing comedy acting with a sure and light touch.
Rob Simpson as The Chief delivers a very funny performance. His Chief is over the top, but continually pulling himself back when he realises he’s said the wrong thing. Simpson acts The Chief persuasively, with a faint touch of the darkness of mania. Mark Richards presents an amusing Tommy Elkins, spoof writer, and a genuinely funny Mookie Brown. His Mookie, hiding behind plantpots and doughnut stands, longing for praise, is an endearing portrait of crass ineptitude, with strong Carry On roots.
Nadia Sohawon is outstanding as Mr Big. There’s an intuitive grasp of the comic gesture which makes each aspect of her performance sparkle. She delivers a consistently fine characterisation (and elegant stage fighting), producing a Mr Big who’s credible, funny, and dangerous with a doughnut.
Matt Eeley gives a fine performance as kleen-easy Christie, louche on dirt, louche on the causes of dirt. He's the least discreet spy in the business, and Eeeley gives him a superbly evil lurk. Just don't ask him for a wash and brush up. At least, not while you're bending over.
Credits: Cast (alpha order): Matt Eeley (Christie, Earl Grey), Dan Fox (Al Studebaker), Glynn Reed (Maurice Johnson), Mark Richards (Mookie Brown, Tommy Elkins), Sarah Rickman (Constance), Rob Simpson, (The Chief), Nadia Sohawon, (various characters including Mr Big, Jenny Tong, Trace). Technical Manager - Jake Wiltshire. Writers - Matt Eeley, Mark Richards. Director - Matt Eeley. Producers - Glynn Reed, Rob Simpson. Company - Knave Monkey Productions. Special thanks to: Dave Robb, Justin Patnicroft, Laurie Moir.
END
John Park
reviewed Canal Café Theatre / 6 February 03
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
www.fringereport.com
