EDINBURGH 2010: BWW Reviews: A SLACKER'S GUIDE TO WESTERN THEATRE

A Slacker's Guide to Western Theatre is just what it says in the title; a journey through the history of theatre, from ancient Greeks to Pinter, as the cast touch on significant playwrights and theatrical developments in Western theatre using parody, spoof and loving mockery.

The piece itself is entertaining - writer Stephen Challens obviously knows his stuff, and has successfully adapted the material from being purely informative into a piece that is engaging and amusing, not only for those seasoned theatregoers who understand the parodies but also for those with minimal existing knowledge. It was clear that a lot of creativity had gone into accomplishing this, and the same can be said for their comparatively minimal sets and props which, however minimal, were effective.

The cast were enthusiastic, confident with the material and obviously had a clear enough understanding of it to be able to spoof it well. There wasn't always the slickest execution of the script, but to be honest I'm not sure that it really mattered to the overall effect of the piece - the audience certainly seemed to be kept entertained throughout.

An imaginative and entertaining labour of love from a group of people who are clearly passionate about the subject matter.

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