A Little Nonsense – Reviews

A Little Nonsense – Juncture Theatre

Bike Shed Theatre

4^th February 2014 

Review by Phoebe Graham 

I found myself experiencing one of those fantastically apprehensive but exhilarating moments in the theatre when you take your seat, having absolutely no idea what you are about to be faced with. What in fact followed was a continuation of this electrifying cluelessness throughout the entirety of A Little Nonsense as the audience is thrown headfirst through an absurdist exploration of the sense of humour.

We are immediately connected to the heart of the farcical fun as we are greeted by a loveable clown who smiles, waves, pulls faces and invites us into his playful world, reviving everyone’s inner child as we are absorbed into the distantly familiar life of practical jokes, mischief and freedom.  The subsequent introduction of the villainous owner of the clown creates a beautifully sinister edge to the play, creating a thought-provoking depth to just ‘A Little Nonsense’.

The audience is made uncomfortable by the absurd struggles between the two characters with the envious man taunting his clown in increasingly controversial ways (including force feeding and urinating on the clown and encouraging him to hang himself with a colourful string of handkerchiefs – an image that sent chills chattering down my spine). As much as I enjoyed the darker twists, the violent acts were perhaps slightly overdone to the point where they were trying to force intensity.

The Samuel Beckett inspired style really enhanced the play’s nonsensical intentions albeit at times the dialogue seemed to adjust to the style rather than the other way around. However, the beautifully constructed monologues, which gave the audience a philosophical insight into the nature of living, were flawlessly executed and were by far the most moving moments in the play.

From the taunting, to a role swap, to the general farce, it all left me trying to extract an underlying metaphor for this complex piece. I pulled together a number of ideas, all regarding the development and suppression of our sense of humour over time. But in the end, it just proved how sometimes the most thoughtful theatre doesn’t have to have an objective purpose and that, as Juncture Theatre wonderfully concluded, a “little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men’.

6th February 2014

Review by Freddie House

Founded in 2009, Juncture Theatre has been at the helm of several critically acclaimed black comedies. The latest, entitled A Little Nonsense, was in the midst of a two-week residency at the Bike Shed Theatre when I went to see what all the fuss was about. This dark comedy tells the story of a suffering double-act who spend the entirety of the play in one room, it’s location, however, is left unspecified. There’s the man; logical, pensive and rather inert, and then there’s the clown; idealistic, restless and blatantly foolish. The narrative explores the man’s evident aggravation as he watches his partner play and delight in his own slapstick humour. Several clownish capers later, he even goes on to attempt to beat some sense into the retired entertainer through singing lessons and ‘knock knock’ jokes (of course).

It is clear from the clown’s first recital of the heart-breaking poem ‘I can’t sleep tonight’ that Samuel Beckett’s work is a strong source of inspiration for this play, with double-act royalty Vladimir and Estragon (Waiting for Godot, watch it if you haven’t) bearing a strong resemblance to the two characters in A Little Nonsense. This both helps and hinders this intimate showcase for a Godot fan like myself, as there is a fine line between a tribute and a replica. I felt that the actors, Adam Blake and Harry Humberstone, did a sterling job of shying away from the Godot parallels, bringing their own interpretations to roles which could have, very easily, been attempted after a quick YouTube search of Beckett’s famous tragicomedy. The script, however, often crossed too many bridges, featuring a familiar ‘hanging’ incident and recurring references to the improbable arrival of another character.

Putting this unmistakable comparison to one side, I must say that the play itself is actually rather good, and makes for a humorous yet thoughtful evening. All audiences take pleasure in an hour of slapstick humour and I must admit that I also enjoyed some of the rather unsettling moments as they left me thinking, a good sign from a night at the theatre.  I must also note that the conventional elements in this disconcerting subversion of comical expectation are welcome; after all, the clown is made up with a pale face and bright red nose, so really, how threatening can he be? The audience participation scenes with multiple ‘knock knock’ jokes ensued hilarity, and the physical theatre of Blake was outstanding, with humorous facial expressions and top-notch comic timing. Humberstone portrayed the irritable and frustrated man with ease, and contrasted perfectly with his partner, switching comfortably to a more comical role towards the play’s conclusion. I feel that’s what really made this piece work; the partnership of the actors was far superior to the novelty of the script. This, along with an effective set and simple lighting, made for a pleasurable evening.