Popcorn at the Criterion
- 5 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Popcorn by Ben Elton, Criterion Theatre, Earlsdon, Coventry, from 27 June – 4 July.
Review by Hilary Hopker
It was a sweltering opening night for Popcorn at the Criterion. Thankfully the recent refurbishment of the lobby area meant there was cooling air con, but because they are awaiting a grant for the main theatre, many people were left fanning themselves with the programme as the play opened.
The stage set is the Hollywood living room of film director Bruce Delamitri – played with an incredible American accent by Dave Crossfield. He’s off to collect an Oscar for his films which glamourise violence and make it sexy.
The walls are adorned with AI generated Pulp Fiction style posters for Bruce’s latest blockbuster and in the centre hangs Edward Hopper’s ‘Nighthawks’. It’s a painting about isolation in America, which hints at the unease to come.
Bruce is arrogant and dismissive of both his wife, Farrah Delamitri played by Donna Davenport and his daughter, Velvet, played by Millie Revill. He is keen to get rid of both of them to bring home not only an Oscar but Playboy Centre-fold Brooke Daniels. Brooke is played enthusiastically by Paige Phelps who is making her debut at the Criterion in this production.
Brooke is a woman out to use her charms to get everything she wants out of Bruce. He caves in just at the point the violent duo the ‘Mall Murderers’ wade in. The rough, tough male half of the duo, Wayne, played skilfully by Connor Bailey, takes charge and the play takes a very dark turn. Connor is utterly convincing as the tattooed Wayne who will casually kill someone simply for the thrill of it.
Wayne and his girlfriend Scout clearly get off on the thrill that their threats of violence lend them. Then they explain their bloodlust is Bruce’s fault. If only he hadn’t made such attractive movies glamourising violence they would have never been on a major killing spree. It’s only fair he confesses to save them all…
The play is very intense, with drama and casual violence throughout. The occasional comic line lifts it, but the actors never break character for a moment. The stand-out performance of the night goes to Wayne’s girlfriend Scout, played by Kelly Davidson. She skilfully mixes lovestruck girlfriend with dumb American and quick-witted criminal. With a simple smile, Kelly displays Scout’s lack of depth of character and somehow you feel like you almost know her.
There’s an incredibly clever scene where the actors are also shown live on TV. So we are watching the actors, who in turn are watching themselves - and that’s the whole point, in a social media-driven world where we are all actors and observers, how far will we go to ‘go viral?’
The play asks the very real question ‘Does TV violence encourage real life violence?’ And if so, who is then responsible for this violence? Also, because this is America, who is to pay for that wrongdoing when it’s the lawyers asking the question?
Dark, intense and thought provoking, Popcorn leaves you deeply concerned for the modern world we live in.
For tickets: https://criteriontheatre.co.uk/
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