The Stage

Bacchus in Rehab

Published Monday 30 November 2009 at 17:55 by Evelyn Curlet

Bacchus in Rehab is a bawdy romp that seems to have been scripted, performed and directed by students and a few people they picked up in the pub.

The plot revolves around the god Bacchus (SP Howarth) being cast out of Mount Olympus for seducing Zeus’ youngest daughter. Stripped of his deity status and forced to abstain from alcohol, he sets about attempting to reclaim his immortality by entering a playwriting competition that will see the winner made god of theatre. Along the way he meets a minstrel, frequents a tavern and falls in love with the owner’s daughter, all the while pursued by a vindictive Russian Hades and camp cultural bureaucrat Doris. The writers may have previously had applications rejected by Arts Council England as there are various pointed comments about how one needs to be a disabled lesbian to get arts funding.

Bacchus in Rehab is not awful - it’s presented with energy and it can be disarmingly silly. But the humour seems intended for adolescents (the comedy heavily relies on gay jokes, usually the preserve of public school boys) and the directing and performing are consistently clunky, albeit enthusiastic.

Bacchus in Rehab has the appeal of a university pantomime - it’s very rough round the edges but the cast are enjoying themselves, which is intermittently infectious. A little more focus and professionalism would go a long way.