Inside No 9 Stage/Fright review: Old school laughs and chills enough to satiate even the die-hard fans
Inside No 9 Stage/Fright review: Old school laughs and chills enough to satiate even the die-hard fans
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TV mavericks Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith have oodles of fun playing with all the possibilities of this new medium. For 10 years, Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton bewitched and bewildered audiences with their BBC anthology series Inside No 9 – a black comedy masterclass in genre-clashing with twists to make M Night Shyamalan’s head spin. When the series came to an end after nine (what else?) seasons, fans grieved the loss of one of TV’s most inventive endeavours. Six months later, the dynamic duo are back – this time, and for the first time, on stage.
For an indication of just how loved their show was, consider the fact that tickets for Inside No 9 Stage/Fright sold out before opening night even hit the West End. Those fans will not be disappointed, with this production – including a prologue that serves as most violent and persuasive theatre etiquette PSA I’ve ever seen – recalling some of the series’ best elements, notably the wonderful interplay between old pals Shearsmith and Pemberton who slip back into their roles as crank and goofball as comfortably as a well-worn cardigan.
Expect everything you love from the shows here: accents, slapstick, wigs, false teeth. It’s old-school laughs that still do the trick. As one of the younger members of the crowd, I suspect a good few references went over my head. One skit in particular sees a roll call of 1970s celebrity names – word salad to me but comic gold to others judging from the raucous reception.
