REVIEW – THE CASE OF THE .. er, Lancaster Grand
 by Ben Muir

Performed by After Dark Theatre Company
in association with Fag Ash Productions

The Grand Theatre, St Leonardgate, Lancaster

Monday 20 to Wednesday 22 February 2006

Ben Muir and David Ash in "The Case Of..."
Photo: Jack Mitchell

“Mad … as a skateboarding fish”
New Local writer’s rollicking debut

30-year old Lancashire born and Lancaster resident Ben Muir is not only an urbane, affable bloke, he is also an award-winning playwright.  He was one of the ten winning entrants in the Woolwich (the building society, not the Dockyard) Young Radio Playwrights’ Competition of the Year in 1996/7, and has written seventeen other pieces for both radio and stage, including pantomimes.

After his Lancaster Grand stage debut in the Christmas 2005 pantomime Sleeping Beauty, Muir has now moved back sideways - or is that upwards? – to the role of author.  And Director, and he also starred in his own piece, The Case of The … which is a wickedly funny spoof-cum-satire on the torrid and tantrum-torn world of radio drama.  Ha!  If you can’t laugh at yourself …

David Ash and Rachel Norris. Photo: Jack Mitchell

“…about as much use as a nuclear-powered, computer controlled, intercontinental duck”

… let the audience do it with you.  And we did, sometimes raucously and occasionally to the cast’s alarm, though at times we wondered who was the audience and who the entertainers.  That was not the only surreal part of the show; Muir’s writing shows influences of Monty Python, Round The Horne, I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue and The Goons: “We seem to be knitting with only the one needle here”.

Never derivative, his sparkling and erudite text and intriguing plot takes us through almost two hours of bewilderment, bemusement and confusion.  I won’t give away any of the plot as I understand this piece may be revived in the future.  Suffice it to say that Muir has a linguistic dexterity and sharp intuition for characterisation, and a clear ability to structure his manic tale.

The advance promotional material promised Barry Manilow, cross dressing and murder mystery; what we got was Agatha Christie on speed. And ecstasy.  After not a few stiff gins:  “The mysterious stranger hit me and I decided to dispense with the first person narrative”.

The cast of seven -- mostly young newcomers to the stage, particularly Lee Cooper who creditably stepped in only a week before the first night -- did ample and stylish justice to their often outrageous parts.  The set was effectively 'designed' -- I use that term loosely -- and the lighting and other effects spot on.

“It’s like asking the cast of Neighbours to play Aida”

Some of the cast from "The Case of..."
Photo: Jack Mitchell

Fag Ash Productions is a new group whose aims are to promote new, local writing that the other theatres in the area don’t embrace.  This is a great initiative and must be to be applauded.  Keep an eye on these pages for further developments and future plans.  Pencil in the end of October into the diary now; I suspect something seasonal is on the cards.

It all sounds rather like the excellent monthly Spotlight evenings at the Yorkshire House, only this is full-length writing.  I am also looking forward to seeing this piece revived in due course.  So whatever they’re doing next, make sure you’re there, and go and support some original local talent of a high and extremely literate order. 

Copyright © 25 February 2006 Michael Nunn