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Done to Death by Jove!

Done to Death By Jove was a comedic celebration of the murder mystery novel. What would happen if you put two men in a situation where the cast and crew got stuck on route to the theatre and they had to carry off the show themselves? Enter the creators Gavin Robertson and Nicholas Collett. Paying tribute to the famous detectives such as Holmes and Watson, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot for want of example, Robertson and Collett created a show that was not only charming, but some comedy gold was created by exploring what might happen if everything went wrong, which was reminicent of the play Noises Off by Michael Frayn.

Done to Death By Jove was a well constructed performance with a true collaborative partnership showcasing Robertson and Collett's prolific talent

To begin with, the use of the framework of things going wrong, such as sound and lighting cues going one step ahead and numerous characters trying to be depicted under pressure of the lack of cast seemed to slow down the flow of the play within the play. However, once they got into the flow of things, the energy picked up again and the audience found themselves connecting with the two actors not only trying to keep everything together, but also gained insights into the chaos of what really goes on backstage with costumes being lost and having to think on their feet when props were not where they were supposed to be.

Gavin Robertson displayed a knack for eccentric characters such as Holmes and Poirot with a commitment that was a force to be reckoned with. Even when he deliberately broke out of character, he kept the audience's attention with little details like an uneasy smile, many different accents (his Michael Caine and Poirot impersonations were particularly impressive) and a charm that was reminicent of the butler character Jeeves from Jeeves and Wooster. Whereas Collett was the clown-like fun Bertram Wooster element of this partnership as he took on Watson, the female roles and more. Even when he had smothered his face with red lipstick with not being able to see himself in a mirror, it added to the comedy element of this show without distracting from what they were doing.

With a little more streamlining needed, Done to Death By Jove was a well constructed performance with a true collaborative partnership showcasing Robertson and Collett's prolific talent. Murder mysteries were shown in a new light and is sure to be a success as the tour progresses.

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Performances

Location

The Blurb

'The 39 Steps' meets Agatha Christie via Holmes and Watson! A cast of six bring a comic flurry of suspects and sleuths together to discover whodunnit, and how... Except, well... four of the cast are stuck by the side of the M6 in the broken-down van, and only those two knights of the theatre – Sir Gavin and Sir Nicholas - have managed to get to the venue... but ‘the show must go on’... what could possibly go wrong!? Comic clichés from the Great British Detective genre - a substitute set, missing costumes and cunning detective work abound in this genre-busting farcical comedy from the "Masters of inventive silliness!” That’s if the two of them can get through the play at all without losing the plot. Literally. It’s not a new idea – it’s been 'Done to Death, by Jove' – but not like this... Warning: Contains hats! ”Robertson and Collett are exceptional” (Kansas City Star)
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