Spy Movie! The Play at the Lichfield Garrick Studio

The greatest spy movie never produced by Hollywood becomes a laugh-out-loud night out that’s sure to not disappoint!

Agent Blonde has 24 hours to save the world. The only things standing in her way are dastardly villains, an outrageous plot, and… a lack of funding. The premise for the show is that when Hollywood rejects her script, a frustrated screenwriter invites you, an audience of producers (with one special producer), to a one-night-only presentation of The Greatest Spy Movie (n)Ever Made!

Spy Movie! The Play is on a UK tour with a run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival at the Pleasance Theatre. This was an incredibly fun show, so be sure to try and catch Jane Blonde as she runs around the UK.

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

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My Review:

After seeing an advert for this show, I was thrilled to be able to book to see it, and it did not disappoint in any way. Featuring a four-person cast who multi-role throughout this film, sorry play should go smoothly… shouldn’t it? 

This homage to Bond movies and fringe theatre show is written by Matthew Howell and Jack Michael Stacey, the minds behind The New Musketeers (Trinity Theatre) and stars of The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong. Fans of Mischief Theatre will certainly enjoy this show, and I loved how, despite moments having a slightly reminiscent feeling of Mischief Theatre productions, Spy Movie! The Play is able to stand high on its own as an incredible piece of comedy theatre that I would recommend any comedy fan see, should they have the chance. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this wonderful show, and I hope to be able to see it again. As a fan of both Mischief Theatre and Operation Mincemeat, it was simply a no-brainer for me to book, and I am so grateful that I did. Seeing this production, I have been fortunate to see a new, exciting piece of theatre that, in my opinion, has a bright future ahead. It was refreshing and enjoyable to watch.

This show is performed by the team responsible for the pitch whilst they compete against a timer, and no, I don’t mean in the spy movie sense, but a timer of how long it will take before their set is moved out! Katy Daghorn is The Writer and throughout is involved in the play, taking on the many roles included in the script. Her transition from hopeful screenwriter to desperate playwright is fabulous. Also, her focus on getting through the show no matter what hiccups happen reminds the audience of the situation that the creatives have found themselves in, which further adds to the comedy of the piece. However, it is Jamie Watterston, The Stuntman, who experiences the brunt of it as he covers the majority of the roles whilst also performing the stunts of the show… which, like the rest of the show, should go well, but you’ll have to see it to find out if that’s the case. Alongside performing various stunts and covering a variety of characters, The Stuntman's main priority in the show is finding his Auntie, aka an unsuspecting audience member, who’s importance to the plot is not revealed until later in the peace and was perfectly comedically timed whilst also helping to tie up loose ends to finish the show as it began… with the audience in stitches. Matthew Howell plays The Producer, whose vast attempts to salvage the show and appeal to one very particular audience member may not always be successful, but are always hilarious to watch. 

These attempts and consistent vague references throughout to a missing fifth member of the team make the ending events of the show even more funny but satisfying to watch as the audience are finally able to fill in the missing pieces. The final member of the team who was in attendance was The Actress played by Jo Hartland. Her portrayal of Jane Blonde is a perfect blend of comedy and homage to the James Bond films, which is also displayed by the rest of this production and her interactions, especially during a particular stunt scene, were hilarious to watch. I also thoroughly enjoyed the subtle nods to this originally being written for the screen throughout, such as placards for credits, as well as big explosions and CGI films that they had to creatively recreate without a film budget or sets. These recreations were hilariously done, and I did not see one person in the audience who was not laughing consistently throughout the performance. Despite the four-person cast and a missing fifth member, another member of the team ironically has the spotlight shone on them at various points, and that is the Technician, Ben Woods, or the Cover Technician, Harrison Matwij. Despite mainly being a voice from the back of the auditorium, the cast interacts with the Technician to further highlight their struggle due to a noticeably smaller budget, alongside new problems being faced throughout. I thought it was a wonderful idea to highlight a member of the team also having to creatively deal with problems as they presented, whilst not being visible on stage, and their conversations across the auditorium further added to the immersion I felt as an audience member.

The set is simplistic with high hopes, a nod to the unfortunate budget cuts, reducing this movie to a One Night Only Play! The cast are able to utilise and work with the set throughout, and it was ingenious to see such a simple set be used in so many versatile ways through small changes and additional props. Furthermore, the smaller cast means more focus is able to be given by the audience on all four cast members, and they revel in this focus, using it to their utmost ability. Through this, the audience is drawn in and captivated, and throughout, there is audience participation to maintain engagement and increase the comedy of the production. This show balances performance and interaction perfectly so that these elements complement each other rather than one overshadowing the other, and it is this balance which makes Spy Movie! The Play such an enjoyable watch. I can see how the high-paced nature of the show may occasionally prove disorientating to fellow audience members; however, for myself, this only made me enjoy it more as it matched the high-paced, almost frantic energy of other shows I thoroughly enjoy.

They are currently causing chaos at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, so be sure to catch them at Above at Pleasance Courtyard until the 25th of August! Spy Movie! The Play is an absolute riot for the whole family, and I cannot recommend it enough.

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Content Warnings:

The theatre has warnings on display, which are as follows:

This performance contains haze, lasers and a helicopter!

Due to the nature of this show, I did not make note of any potentially triggering moments; however, I will mention that:

• The show features audience participation throughout, including throwing balloons into the audience, confetti cannons and flying a remote-control helicopter over the audience

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Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)

- AnxiousTheatregoer