Gasping by Ben Elton

Gasping is playing at the New Theatre until 10 December. It is directed by the very talented Helen Tonkin.
It is an amazing production and if you have the pre-Christmas blues you should see it, as it will have you giggling for a full hour or so. Ben Elton is a very talented writer most of you will know him for Blackadder and The Young Ones. However, what he writes is not easy on the actors and Alan Faulkner who plays Sir Chifley Lockheart and Oliver Wenn who plays Philip both have very challenging roles, both played the parts extremely well; all the actors did.
Ben wrote this play many years ago but the topic is still very relevant today and sadly will be for many years to come. Basically it is about company greed. Sir Chifley Lockheart is the owner of the Lockheart empire, very rich, but wants more! He is looking for the next 'pot noodle', something that nobody has thought of yet; but is simple and everyone will want it. "Hold all my calls I think we have a Pot Noodle in the building!" Yes, Philip (one of Sir Chifley Lockhearts yes men) comes in with the idea - Suck and Blow. The machine that cleans and stores oxygen so you never  have to breathe second hand air again. Julia Kennedy Scott plays Kirsten the marketing expert. She pulls together a series of campaigns that launches Suck and Blow onto the market. For anybody into advertising you will particularly enjoy her scenes. Of course it all gets out of control and before you know it air is being sucked from Africa and burnt off in England to keep the prices inflated. Bob Geldof is running Air Aid to help the people in Africa who have no air, yes it is all very clever and really brings to the fore what a mad world we live in.

The play contains some hilarious lines a couple of my favourites "I didn't get where I am today by beating myself with a bush" and "When I am in the shit I don't need a graph to tell me how deep I am in it." I must mention the two girls Samantha Royance and Natalie Rees, they play a few roles and both bring much of the humour to the stage. Sorry Samantha the imagine of you as the Suck and Blow machine is going to stay with me for some time!
It is a great production and I think if is saw it again I would get even more out of it. Well done Helen and all the cast and crew.
Book your seat now!

(photo by Bob Seary)