What would you do if Death dropped by one day to tell you that you have been chosen to represent all of humanity before God the Almighty and you realised that your record so far might not be the best? That’s exactly what happens to Everyman, a selfish idiot loaded with money but short of friends, in this highly entertaining performance set to explore just what makes us all human - unique, but alike at the same time.
The show, because this genuinely is a performance with a high show factor, opens up with a musical number entitled ‘Seven Things That Make Us The Same’. No.1 is Death, which is where our story starts. God asks his loyal servant Death to choose someone to represent humanity before him and he picks Everyman. Short on time, Everyman must go on a quest to find someone who can accompany him on his journey but to nobody’s surprise, volunteers for this kind of pilgrimage are hard to find especially if all you have done in your life is gather wealth and reject your friends and family. As Everyman’s desperation increases, Death draws closer, allowing both Everyman himself and the audience to see just how little material possessions matter when facing the Almighty.
This is nothing short of a wonderful production, high on laughs, yet with a subtle seriousness to it that only enhances the overall feeling of perfection. Kerry Frampton is fantastic in her part as Everyman, as are Nikki Warwick and Scott Gilmour in filling the parts of the remaining characters. In mixing elements from theatre, musicals, cabarets and sketch comedy, the talented cast leaves the audience roaring with laughter as they run about stage, trying to save Everyman from facing Death and his final judgment alone.
The combination of a wonderfully witty script, a great storyline and superb acting makes this an all-round joyous experience. The musical numbers are great and the actors skillfully include the audience in their performance through what can only be described as a perfect amount of improvisation. However, despite the silliness, the show has a darker and more serious undertone. This is beautifully communicated both in the beginning and towards the end, as the three performers quietly starts singing, ‘There is one certainty, one certain certainty, and that certain certainty is death’, reminding us all that Everyman’s journey is inevitably one we all have to take.
