The Stage

Cooped

Published Thursday 25 May 2006 at 15:20 by Liz Arratoon

It is simply not possible to have more fun at the theatre than this. The End. Oh all right then, you want to hear a bit more. Well, be prepared. Your face will ache from laughing.

This newly extended version of Cooped - a spoof of gothic romance novellas - is Spymonkey’s second show and follows the runaway success of Stiff. It is a gloriously silly tale of lovely Laura du Lay - played by the adorable and acrobatic Petra Massey - who comes - dressed like a sixties living doll - to the Rada-trained actor Forbes Murdston’s remote mansion as his secretary.

Without spoiling things for you, Du Lay has a disturbed past and still suffers from outlandish nightmares, while the house itself holds a dark secret. It also has an eccentric butler in the form of Stephan Kreiss’ riotously funny Klaus, who has an ongoing antagonism with Murdston’s solicitor Roger Parchment, portrayed with effortless charisma by Aitor Basauri. Murdston himself - all matinee idol looks and clipped tones - becomes a figure of high comedy in the hands of the devilishly debonair Toby Park.

Designer Lucy Bradridge has devised a set with many quirky treats, including a genius pack of hounds, that almost changes scene by magic.

Lucky for us then that Spymonkey’s three men and a lady decided, after their two-year sojourn in Las Vegas starring in Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity, to leave the high life behind.

Their huge cult following must now surely turn to mainstream success.