EDINBURGH 2011: BWW Reviews: SPENT, Pleasance Dome, Aug 12 2011

In this highly-acclaimed piece, originally produced for the Toronto Clown Festival, Adam Paolozza and Ravi Jain play a range of high energy characters to tell the story of the greed which led to the financial crisis, and the media reaction to it. The piece follows two financial executives who, after realising that they have lost everything they consider valuable, decide to jump off a building. But it's a comedy (really!).

Paolozza and Jain, along with co-writers Michele Smith and Dean Gilmour, obviously know the subject matter, and are consequently able to produce a sharp, fast-paced commentary on the often ludicrous events which contribute to, and result from, a financial crisis. Similarly, as performers Paolozza and Jain give enthusiastic, skillful performances of over 20 characters throughout the course of the show, with a particular highlight being the portrayal of a variety of spokespeople from countries around the world. The unbelievably fast transitions between accents and mannerisms, which were carried out with apparent ease, is just one element among many which demonstrate that this is a well-polished piece which deserves the awards and acclaim is it receiving.

The only criticism I can find is that some of the middle sketches, while entertaining at first, drag on for a little too long, and a little trimming down would benefit the pace of an otherwise sharp show.