As Rick, Brad has the job of opening the play with an impressive monologue and continuing to narrate the play throughout, as well as playing the main character. He does so almost flawlessly for the show's entire duration, never overplaying the moments of pathos in the script, and using stillness to great effect.
As always with Cue Theatre productions, the lighting team did a fantastic job, and the use of the spotlight for those monologues was a simple yet incredibly effective way to distinguish those moments from the rest of the plot.
Simon was perfectly cast as the louche-but-loveable rogue Noel, and his comedic timing was absolutely spot-on throughout the night. He and Brad are both gifted actors and were well-matched in this show, keeping the energy and pace going throughout.
Director Christine King clearly understood the play well, knowing exactly what parts to draw out and how to delicately balance the great comedy the script contains with the deeper, more emotional and thoughtful side the plot is also packed with.
The props and staging team, along with the lighting and wardrobe departments, all did plenty of heavy lifting in this show, with brilliant set design allowing the action to flow almost seamlessly between a student flat, an office, a restaurant and even a student bar without any cumbersome scene changes being required. While at first glance the wardrobe department wasn't given any serious challenges - everyday clothes rather than futuristic or otherwise tricky outfits were the order of the day - they made sure every outfit matched the character wearing them perfectly, and when it came to Jazz Gallagher playing a set of twins, the outfits came into their own, clearly giving each twin their own personality.
Jazz was well-cast in her role(s) and gave her characters plenty of depth. She is a thoughtful actor and has a great stage presence which commands attention. Rhiannon McGrane put on a first-class performance bringing Max the history professor to life, and had clearly put a lot of thought into her character, bringing her to life not just with words but with her whole body, using facial expressions and physicality to flesh out the character throughout the storyline.
Harsh Negi, playing the put-upon Indian restaurant owner Ranjit, did a fantastic job making his character far more than a one or two-dimensional stereotype, and while his time on the stage was relatively brief, his performance made a long-lasting impression.
Christine King has done a fantastic job with this play, from choosing the perfect play in the first instance, to casting it well and then directing the actors so beautifully, truly bringing out the best in each of them.
Having been to many great plays at Cue Theatre, I feel qualified to suggest this production is amongst the best I have seen there, and would encourage you to grab tickets and enjoy a night of Sex, Drugs & Rick 'n' Noel.
The Details:
What: Cue Theatre presents Sex, Drugs & Rick 'n' Noel.
Where: Cue Theatre, Inglewood.
When: From now until Saturday, November 12.
