There’s numerous expertise round Steven Moffatt’s comedy The Unfriend however I discovered it desperately unfunny on the Criterion Theatre

“What are flowers but vegetables to look at?”

Fresh from a run at Chichester Festival Theatre final 12 months, The Unfriend arrives within the West End, replete with its names hooked up. Written by Steven Moffatt, directed by Mark Gatiss and starring Reece Shearsmith, Amanda Abbington and Frances Barber as its leads, you’ll be able to see the place the enchantment lies. In phrases of the comedy itself although, its the title Alan Ayckbourn that springs to thoughts for higher or worse. 

So if that form of fairly old style humour is your bag, you then’ll be in for a deal with. Fart gags, precise bathroom humour, lazy nationwide stereotypes, all are current and proper in a rum story of vacation associates gone fallacious. Abbington and Shearsmith play Peter and Debbie who’ve a proper giggle on vacation with the wacky Elsa, a Trump supporter from Denver who they suppose they’ll by no means see once more however who invitations herself to stick with them for per week.

Ruh-roh, it seems she’s an (simply Google-able) serial killer and ruh-roh, it seems Pete and Debs are too terribly English to inform her to sling her hook. And that’s just about it – the would-be comedy of manners taking part in out as she works her sure spell over the couple, plus their kids and neighbours. It’s simply not significantly humorous with it, coming off as a weak sitcom with solely the occasional one-liner to perk issues up.

Gatiss’ route clearly has intent in thoughts however it’s punishingly carried out because it lacks any actual form of inspiration. Even right down to laborious scene modifications, it feels so flat and simply drags the entire thing down. The firm work exhausting with the fabric and it have to be stated that many round me have been having fun with themselves a complete lot greater than I however for me, The Unfriend was simply unfunny. 

Running time: 2 hours (with interval)
Photo: Manuel Harlan
The Unfriend is reserving on the Criterion Theatre till sixteenth April