Joe Penhall's script shines through Dexter Fletcher and Sanjeev Bhaskar's performances in Dumb Show at Rose Theatre.
Writer Joe Penhall is the man behind the script adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's The Road into the critically acclaimed film starring Viggo Mortensen. Dumb Show is a reminder of Penhall's writing talents. Performed originally at Royal Court Theatre and in and out of the West End, it now finds itself at The Rose Theatre in the capable hands of Emma Cunniffe, Dexter Fletcher and Sanjeev Bhaskar.
Penhall's script is unflinchingly incisive and uses celebrity-focused society as a springboard to explore the more gripping reality behind media culture. His characters are brilliant depictions of morally vacant people who can convince themselves that they're astute because they can come up with new and increasingly dastardly ways of exploiting people. Thoroughly believable bankers massage egos to get celebrity endorsements while “journalists” scratch around for a story before they admit their money-fuelled tabloid celebrity-focused journalism is only one step up from writing about the increasing amount of dog poo in local parks.
Dexter Fletcher is on form: smarmy, sexist and consistently strong is his portrayal of a detestable player with a hint of short-man syndrome. Disappointingly, Emma Cunliffe as his partner in crime fails to convince at the start, but by the second half, she's mastered her cunning manipulative tabloid writer, only it's a little late. Sanjeev Bhaskar plays an easily manipulated, generic TV presenter Barry, whose personal rants behind closed doors are far more entertaining than any of his on camera jokes. Bhaskar manages to get under the skin of his shallow character but takes his time about it. His rants are hilarious but not well paced and the jokes come too far and few between. He expertly highlights 'the reality and the banality' of Barry's place on the celeb D list and is at his best when he's scathing. Definitely a great script, sadly delivered with a lack of fire and consistently.
Dumb Show runs at Rose Theatre until April 17th
Photo Credit: Chris Pearsall
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