PERFORMANCE REVIEW: Stop Messing About

Stop Messing About
Leicester Square Theatre, prior to West End transfer

Taking its material and characters from the popular BBC radio show, it would seem a stage adaptation of Stop Messing About spells a recipe for success. While watching the show, however, it soon becomes apparent that there are many good reasons why what works on radio, does not work on the stage.

Playing home to the production before it transfers to the West End, the Leicester Square Theatre effectively evokes the ‘70s BBC Radio studio, complete with working recording signs. Unfortunately, this is not the only way they try to evoke an authentic ‘radio’ experience. The actors have scripts from which they are, for much of the time, reading. The actors move only slightly, in fact the greatest movement is probably when they switch microphones. They are also prone to slip out of character whilst not speaking, especially noticeable with Robin Sebastian playing Kenneth Williams. Although at times a very accurate portrayal of Williams - his laugh is particularly effective - he somewhat underplays the eccentricity and vivacity necessary to convincingly evince Williams’ true character.

The approximations we are given of these ebullient personas leave us slightly disappointed. Emma Atkins, as Joan Sims, seems to have based herself both vocally and physically on alternative Carry On queen Barbara Windsor, rather than Sims herself. There is an awareness that there is very little acting going on, and more half-baked impersonations. Robin Sebastian obviously has a lot to live up to given Michael Sheen’s near flawless rendering of Williams in the BBC’s Fantabulosa, but Sebastian often appears to be simply ‘adding’ on aspects of Williams’ character, rather than exuding them.

The biggest shame about this production is the large number of missed opportunities to reveal the tantalising biography of these public figures. I was fully expectant that after Act One, an episode of the radio show, we would be given some depth behind the caricatures presented. Instead, we are given another, incredibly similar episode of the same show. There is absolutely no perception of the dark yet compelling underside of this world, and of Williams’ life in particular, which would have provided some much needed context to all the artificiality and innuendo.

Helena S. Rampley