The Games at Zoo Roxy (I mention the venue for your convenience as I fully expect you to go within 24hrs of reading this) masquerades as an unearthed Aristophanes play, but shares as much with panto as it does with the grand-daddy of dick jokes himself. This is an inestimably good thing – pantomime is so enjoyable, and remains the only type of theatre many people bother with, because it has the good sense to be able to laugh at itself.As with all good Greek stories, this three-hander kicks off with the gods being bored and proposing a contest. Each select a hopeless champion to bless with a super-power enabling them to win an event at the Olympics. They meet, struggle, and eventually triumph in the classic style. Just a warning before you book up for the kids too: these are the Ancient Greek Olympics, where competitors were naked, and The Games, a stickler for authenticity, provides, fake genitals for the purpose. The nudity is comic rather than sexual, though, so to be honest unless your children are prudes they'll probably be fine.The players revel in their own low production values – props and costumes are fairly unconvincing most of the time, but, as we are charmingly reminded, seamless illusion is not at all what theatre is about (if you disagree I recommend you attend one of the moviefilms instead). The performance is carried with such gusto that the dramaturgical imperfection only tempt our imaginations into stronger action – as well as making us laugh.The writing is clever without being haughty, at times knowingly descending into comically naff rhymes and narrative cliché because it's entertaining – and that's much more important to Spike Theatre than impressing us with how clever they are. It's a play that gives and expects nothing in return – so, naturally, it is supremely deserving of your time and money.
