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Kill the Beast: Don't Wake the Damp

The reason to go and see Don’t Wake the Damp is simply for the moment after you’ve walked out, sat down with your pint, and think: ‘There’s no way I could’ve predicted anything that happened in there.’ To wrap Kill The Beast’s third show up in a nutshell would be to allow the ‘nut’ a coconut status, but here goes... It’s the story of a jaded, ex-TV actress June who, amidst clutter and casseroles, is visited by council planner Terry who forces her to evacuate her tower block because it’s being invaded by damp. Oh, and it’s 2035. And June was the sidekick in an eighties sci-fi show. And ‘damp’ isn’t what we think it is.

Don’t Wake the Damp’s silliness overtakes its sentiment

Spending an hour in a room with Kill The Beast is akin to spending rain-day playtime with the four most hyper people in your class – explanations are elaborate (borderline nonsensical), but paralleled with surprisingly well-choreographed numbers. ‘The Damp Is Rising’, where the team make the most of their screens-on-wheels set-up, is performed to a West End standard and, like the bacteria itself, lingers for a while after it’s introduced. Character Terry, who leads the number, strikes the perfect balance – here, and throughout – between simple and sinister. Unfortunately, confusion is to be had where the others play characters both in the TV show past and the tower block present. A lack of clarity turns what could be a quirky, multi-layered plot into a perplexing one. Like a coconut – what’s inside is not the most robust and actually comes out flooding, at speed.

The energy with which Kill The Beast transport you, however, cannot be contested. We’re nothing if not taken back there, to a time a before, to a style of things that, no matter whether you were born in ‘55 or ‘95, is equally nostalgic. Interesting questions are posed about the merits of fandom; in a scene between June and her obsessed tower block resident, we’re encouraged to ponder why it is that society needs idols, and what happens when the veil is lifted. Whether homage or parody to the shows we loved as kids, Don’t Wake the Damp’s silliness overtakes its sentiment so any message is hard to decipher in the madness.

Reviews by Eva Hibbs

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Since you’re here…

… we have a small favour to ask. We don't want your money to support a hack's bar bill at Abattoir, but if you have a pound or two spare, we really encourage you to support a good cause. If this review has either helped you discover a gem or avoid a turkey, consider doing some good that will really make a difference.

You can donate to the charity of your choice, but if you're looking for inspiration, there are three charities we really like.

Mama Biashara
Kate Copstick’s charity, Mama Biashara, works with the poorest and most marginalised people in Kenya. They give grants to set up small, sustainable businesses that bring financial independence and security. That five quid you spend on a large glass of House White? They can save someone’s life with that. And the money for a pair of Air Jordans? Will take four women and their fifteen children away from a man who is raping them and into a new life with a moneymaking business for Mum and happiness for the kids.
Donate to Mama Biashara now

Theatre MAD
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Acting For Others
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Performances

Location

The Blurb

Evil is rising. Grab a mop. Multi award-winning comedy captains Kill the Beast present a new twisted tale inspired by 80s sci-fi, 90s gaming and cracking superhero theme tunes. From the brains behind The Boy Who Kicked Pigs and He Had Hairy Hands, Don't Wake The Damp is a non-stop, neon rollercoaster of shocks, shadows and shameless wigs. Original music, astounding projection and trademark dreadful faces – dare you find out what's waiting in the dark? 'A scorchingly talented young company' (Time Out). 'Incredibly, unbelievably funny' (List). 'A deliciously macabre affair' (Stage).
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