As I approach Waverly Bridge, I catch sight of a black vintage Routemaster bus, casting a gloomy shadow against the darkness. This is the place. The guests are starting to arrive, greeted by the reassuring yet somewhat jittery funeral director who sends us to the second level with the assurance that services will begin briefly. Little fringed lamps and red velvet curtains set the tone for a classic Agatha Christie as sombre music plays quietly in the background. Welcome to the funeral service of Roger Cocksweet.
The bus pulls away and this ludicrous, hot-mess celebration of the dead really comes alive. We are introduced to Roger, our dearly departed former bus driver and his uproarious cavalcade of oddball family members. Though the guest of honour is already dead, the script is classic farcical murder mystery faire, like a motorized mobile version of Clue, admittedly a bit predictable but thoroughly hilarious. Of course, as with any good farce, everything that can go wrong does, and there are some truly clever, laugh-out-loud moments of misstep, including one of the funniest renditions of ‘Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer’ imaginable.
As a theatre piece, this would be a fun, amusing yet somewhat forgettable night but what really kicks this performance up a level is the impressive use of technology and the dedicated space. The show incorporates a rather mind-boggling array of technologies including live feed cameras, video screens, pre-recorded audio, video and live audio. The action comes fast, furious, and surprisingly fluid for a show on a moving bus that actually bleeds out into the street.
The audience is immersed in all things funereal, as guests at this off-kilter, everything-goes-wrong ride through the streets of Edinburgh. At times the humour can be a bit base and grating but just seeing the complete derailment of our steadfast funeral director is worth the price of admission.
There simply isn’t a way to take this ride and not have a great time. As we were leaving I overheard one of the other ‘funeral guests’ say to his companion, ‘I want my funeral to be like this.’ I admit, I felt the same way. For a ghoulishly good time, hop on board the Necrobus.