As I took my seat to watch The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle, I wondered if the performance could be quite as amusing as its title, and I was not disappointed. The fast-paced play is unusually set almost entirely after the death of the protagonist, Eric.
The introduction was initially difficult to keep up with, as the young cast took turns narrating, acting and playing the guitar while introducing multiple characters. There was something quite magical about the performance. It could have been the twinkling lights or the melodic music that transported us to a different world, but suddenly we were at Eric Argyle’s funeral, who died due to not having looked both ways before crossing the street.
Next, Eric is sitting in a chair with his hands over his eyes and a woman nervously tapping her foot behind him. He complains of chest pains and requests a nurse, but has a painful reality check when he is told that he is 58 years old and that the car was travelling at 67mph; it’s safe to assume he did not survive. As Eric points to the audience and asks why they’re watching, he is told that they are there to witness the proceedings, and we become aware that we are about to watch an interrogation.
Eric is then shown flashbacks of his own life in an effort to make a decision about something not revealed until the very end. It is, perhaps, this element of mystery that keeps the audience so captivated the whole way through. We never stop wondering why this interrogation is taking place or the reason why Eric has been chosen to face this trial. The small cast each take on a variety of roles with plenty of laugh out loud one-liners. The acting is superb and every character becomes sympathetic to the audience in his or her own particular way.
Trying to fit an entire life (and death) story into 90 minutes produces a play that is fast-paced and at times confusing, but neatly ties together all loose ends in a witty and heart-warming tale of life, death, love and friendship.
