In a portrayal of the not so very glamorous life of being a gangster, Gone Rogue Production’s Ruthlessness does exactly what it says on the tin. The play follows a group of people who personify the word ‘ruthless’, as they do all they can to make some money.
The play opens with the announcement of the death of organised crime legend, Daddy Carlisle. In a not very well thought through move, the family business is thus handed over to Carlisle’s son, who doesn’t really know anything about being a gangster. As the son tries to pick up where his father left off, he invites some of the current clients in for a chat. Though two of these clients, Lenny and Guy, had already been let off, the son chooses to exert his power over them by insisting that they return the £10,000 they owe him within a week. Lenny and Guy, who resemble a comedy double-act more than a pair of criminals, get to work on their quest. Though the production contains about a dozen characters, not one has a drop of integrity or honesty. The play delves into the underworld of thieves and criminals, even with the nice but dim Marilyn Hepburn being up to no good. There are plenty of laughs as Mr Carlisle fumbles around in his new profession without having a clue what he’s doing.
The production finds its humour in the beyond hopeless Mr Carlisle and the slapstick sequences provided by Lenny and Guy. The acting of some of the cast could be better, so the real strength of the performance is its comedy. We are transported to a world where super casinos and gambling matter more than humility, and people will walk over each other to get what they want. However, no one knows quite how to cope with it.
