Brighton Fringe 2012
Low Down
The Prayer Meeting is essentially a three act play – each act a different desperate individual. A cracked out advertising executive on the edge of a nervous breakdown; a 30-something-year-old broody virgin, with serious mummy issues; and a new father who just wants some peace and quiet away from his swollen wife and screaming baby boy. Frustrated by their ungrateful attitudes (it was him who gave them life after all) God decides to intervene, to hilarious comic effect. Charming, charismatic and effortlessly witty, he pacifies, seduces and beats his subjects into a willingness to embrace life again.
Review
The Prayer Meeting is essentially a three act play – each act a different desperate individual. A cracked out advertising executive on the edge of a nervous breakdown; a 30-something-year-old broody virgin, with serious mummy issues; and a new father who just wants some peace and quiet away from his swollen wife and screaming baby boy. Frustrated by their ungrateful attitudes (it was him who gave them life after all) God decides to intervene, to hilarious comic effect. Charming, charismatic and effortlessly witty, he pacifies, seduces and beats his subjects into a willingness to embrace life again.
The play was well acted; each performer was strong and faced up to the challenge of a ten minute monologue, often involving strenuous physical comedy, tears and manic laughter. Joseph Capp, as God was particularly impressive, holding the audience captive in the palm of his hand, manipulating us in the same way he does his on stage subjects. Dressed in a tux and lounging around on stage he was a more playboy than deity, but as he pointed out: the beard, sandals and toga look associated with the god of the Old Testament was just a tad too unhygienic.
Henry David’s writing was on the money as each segment of the play delivered increasingly wittier remarks, satirising society and hinting at the author’s own political, religious and philosophical ideas. You didn’t feel like you were being preached at, but there was still a moralistic message to the play. Perhaps as a human race we have grown to be far too selfish and thankless for our own good – we are unable of being content with our lives. Complaining about relationships, self esteem, money, jobs, babies, diets and other pressures of modern day life seems to be a staple of our lives. And as David’s so aptly summarised – God must be pretty bored.
The direction of the play was essentially as simple as the plot, but equally as effective, with each subject sitting centre stage on a wooden chair as god listened from behind. It felt very much like the audience was invading a private confessional. The only added element to the bare bones of stage was two musicians discreetly sat to the side accompanying the dialogue with a continuous soundtrack. From my vantage point I could make out only a cello and a guitar, but the variety of sounds and melodies were vast, and added to the comedy in many situations.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this very good production and would be eager to look out for more work by Strip Theatre. It was a unique experience and I would highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys slapstick physical laughs, intelligent dialogue and challenging drama. My only criticism of the show is that in such a dialogue-heavy format, it did take me a little while to get into it. But don’t let that stop you – its well worth the wait!
