The Soho Theatre has established itself as London’s go-to venue for both hilarious stand-up comedy and exciting theatre. So it makes perfect sense to stage Owen McCafferty’s play about stand-up comedy here. The trouble is that Death of A Comedian is not hilarious or exciting.
Brian Doherty plays Steve Johnston, an angry, anxious club comic who gets his break when he is spotted by wide boyish agent Doug Wright (Shaun Dingwall). Soon the rough edges and the things that made Johnston interesting are rubbed off as he heads to arena fame, losing his integrity and girlfriend/manager (Katie McGuinness) on the way.
And that is about it. How much should one compromise to get to the top? One review said this was "thought-provoking" but it is only really thought-provoking if this obvious question has never occured to you before. I thought this show in Edinburgh last summer said more about the subject in a shorter time. And if you want a truly great play about the topic Trevor Griffiths' Comedians is online in full here.
There isn’t a lot more to say about the plot. It’s like Dr Faustus of stand-up, but not that much. Manager Doug has a hint of Mephistopheles about him – and some of the best lines – and comedy buffs may wonder if McCafferty was inspired by the late superagent Addison Cresswell.
The drama is punctuated by short sets from Johnston which chart his evolution. Director Steve Marmion should know how to stage a comedy gig, he is based at the Soho Theatre. The swearing and agitprop is inevitably replaced by supermarket checkout gags and the jeans and checked shirt replaced by a suit. Johnston is fine in the role, but, particularly early on when he is supposed to be more rough-and-ready his routines feel over-scripted. Perhaps it would have been better to cast a stand-up who could act, rather than an actor who could do stand-up.
If nothing else Death of a Comedian is a reminder of how fraught the comedy world is. Maybe it is impossible to be happy or satisfied. Johnston starts the play asking “what if I’m not funny?” and ends it successful but probably haunted by self-loathing.
Death of a Comedian is in the venue’s upstairs room. Comedy fans might be better off buying tickets for real stand-up in the basement.
At Soho Theatre until May 16. Ticket here.
