A science fiction comedy with more than a few shades of Red Dwarf, Pilgrim Shadow tells the story of sarcastic, uptight Tyler and dopey, insufferably upbeat Gary, two unlikely companions thrown together in a galaxy far, far away and forced to spend time together while trying to escape from the ominous “Syndicate” on a mysterious (and slightly smelly) spaceship. But is the ship really the mythical Pilgrim, owned by the infamous space pirate Shadow, as Gary suspects?
The script sags a little in the middle but there is a solid plot alongside the jokes and the last fifteen minutes crank up the drama fantastically.
A sequel to Dead Static, also penned by writer Steve Jordan, this is the next episode for the two unlikely adventurers but it really doesn’t matter if you missed their original outing (as I had) – their backstory becomes more apparent as the play progresses and it’s more about puns than character arcs anyway.
From the moment I entered the theatre serenaded by the Star Wars theme tune, I envisaged a hardcore, sci-fi geekfest but the play was far more accessible than I was expecting. The comedy frequently comes from pop culture references and extended similes a la Blackadder, and the script is fundamentally silly so you’ll be disappointed if you’re looking for razor-sharp satire. Erring more on the side of entertaining than hilariously funny, the lines often only raise timid titters from the audience but there are a couple of laugh-out-loud moments. A scene spoofing TV gameshows and reminiscent of the Frodo and Gollum riddle-off in Lord of the Rings is particularly memorable.
The play also benefits from some confident comedy acting in this two man show. The contrast between the characters generally works well thanks to strong performances from Cliff Chapman as Tyler and Adam Joselyn as Gary, who keep up the energy all the way through. Although their characters are fairly one dimensional, with Gary in particular stuck in excitable mode a little too much of the time, both actors deliver their lines with gusto.
The script sags a little in the middle but there is a solid plot alongside the jokes and the last fifteen minutes crank up the drama fantastically. Not out of this world but good for a few light-hearted laughs.