Trim Tab Productions Returns to Brighton Fringe with Darkly Comic New Work
Paul Levy caught up with James Mannion in a noisy Pavilion Gardens Cafe about this new show.
(Right click and save as an mp3 if you want a copy).
Ten years after their debut at Brighton Fringe, Trim Tab Productions returns with a reimagined version of their original show, presented under the title The Angel of Death Will See You Now…. This latest production revisits earlier themes through a darker, more reflective lens, marking a significant evolution in the company’s theatrical approach.
The narrative centres on a disillusioned teacher who, following an attempted mugging, finds himself in an otherworldly limbo – specifically, Death’s waiting room. Here, he is confronted by the Angel of Death, recast as a sardonic quizmaster presiding over an unnerving game. With his soul hanging in the balance, the protagonist must answer for his life – and it is the audience who plays a decisive role in determining his fate.
Written by the show’s originator, known for The Reincarnation of Trim Tab Jim and The Manifestation of Trim Tab Jim, and directed by Saskia Wesnigk-Wood, whose past credits include work with Brighton Early Music Festival and Darwin’s Cleaner, the production weaves together elements of live music, satire, and audience interaction. It draws on absurdist tradition while reflecting contemporary anxieties around accountability, identity, and mortality.
Though described by its creators as playful in tone, the piece also incorporates a degree of emotional tension. The audience’s participation becomes more than a gimmick, instead mirroring wider social dynamics in which judgement and entertainment are increasingly intertwined.
Performances of The Angel of Death Will See You Now… take place at two venues during the Fringe: Brighton Unitarian Church and Ironworks Studio A. The show runs for 90 minutes and is suitable for audiences aged 12 and above.
Show details:
Brighton Unitarian ChurchSun 4 May, 7.30pm
Sat 10 May, 2pm & 7.30pm
Sun 11 May, 7.30pm
Thu 22 May, 7.30pm
Sun 1 June, 3.30pm & 7.30pm
Ironworks Studio A
Wed 28 May, 7.30pm
Book tickets here
In revisiting their first work through a new lens, Trim Tab Productions offers something that is both familiar and unsettlingly contemporary. The return is neither nostalgic nor self-congratulatory – instead, it reflects the changing relationship between performer, audience, and the stories we tell about ourselves.
