Review: A ROLE TO DIE FOR, Marylebone Theatre

Whether you are a fan of the franchise or not, the next actor to play James Bond is always headline news. Jordan Waller's frothy comedy A Role to Die For makes its London transfer from Cirencester's Barn Theatre, following the film's producers' frantic search for the next Bond.

The producers of Bond are about to announce their new 007, but sudden allegations of predatory sexual behaviour by their chosen actor (#DrNoConsent) leads to a 22 hour deadline to find a new Bond. Hyperactive producer Deborah and her co-producer cousin Malcolm are feeling the heat from their streaming partner, but also from Deborah's son Quinn who holds more progressive views about where the franchise should go. The result is a funny and entertaining play that never takes itself too seriously.

Tanya Franks is very amusing as fast-talking American Deborah; shouty, politically incorrect and over the top. Franks has great fun with the character and executes much of the production with sharp comic timing and occasional oddly placed whimsy when recalling her father's influence and the importance of his legacy.

Philip Bretherton's Malcolm dithers between seemingly hapless with both technology and modern social attitudes and underhand tactics.

As Deborah's son Quinn, Harry Goodson-Bevan is a virtue-signalling Gen Z-er, wanting to go on protest and wear a t-shirt saying 'Eat The Rich', but also happy to intern at his mother's office. Goodson-Bevan illustrates the problematic nature of the franchise well and expresses frustration with his mother at her lack of attention to both him and changing world attitudes.

Obioma Ugoala  is charming as new Bond Theo, bringing a nervousness and vulnerability that doesn't quite match with the perception of the character of the spy.

Derek Bond (yes really) directs with pace, emphasising the physical comedy in the show and leaning into the farce.

Cory Shipp's costume design sees Deborah's wide leg trousers matching her office's soft furnishings and her hair the same colour as the wood panelling. The main set of the office is the stronger section, with a more flimsy set of a trendy breakout office which takes an age to be set up. There are nice touches throughout, such as a fridge of Voss water and artwork that looks like a labia in the media office, contrasting with the old-fashioned, clubby environment where Deborah pours endless glasses of Scotch and juggles numerous phones.

Back in February, real life Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson stepped down after decades of tight family control of the franchise, handing the reins to Amazon. Waller wrote this play five years ago and there are some prescient echoes in the script. There is an exposition of the hypocracy within showbusiness, where algorithms trump gut feelings and braver choices are undermined by populist societal norms. Overall, the satire could be a little sharper, as not much here is new thinking. Money talks and populism reigns; was it ever thus?

We now know that Steven Knight of Peaky Blinders fame will write the next Bond film. What this means for the franchise is not yet known. If A Role to Die For is any indication, the road to film success will be, depressingly, probably chosen by an algorithm.

A Role to Die For is at the Marylebone Theatre until 30 August

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