A Youngish Perspective has an exclusive chat with Ben and Malcolm, producers of Agents of Chaos Theatre, a new theatre company and writers of Foool’s Gold, a new twisting dark comedy at Baron’s Court Theatre running through March 25th- 29th at 7:30 pm.
Grave robbers aren’t often the focus of comedies—what drew you to this unusual premise, and how did you find the balance between the dark and the funny?
This is very true. The concept actually came from an agreement to write a comedy with a couple of mates. We agreed we would start writing a play as a trio in early 2023, but within the first hour of the first writing session, the other two realised they couldn’t be bothered anymore and quit – hopefully that’s not a reflection on working with me… Anyway, I decided I’d go it alone. I don’t remember who first suggested a graveyard as a setting, but grave robbing naturally followed, and to place incompetent characters in a position of life and death makes the stakes high from the very beginning. In terms of finding a balance between the dark and the funny, when I was writing my focus was definitely on the funny side of things. But I think that this naturally led to a level of darkness that was almost incidental by nature due to the levity of the characters’ circumstance.
The play pits two polar opposites against each other in a high-stakes, fast-paced setting. What makes this dynamic so compelling, and did any particular comedic duos inspire your writing?
Finding the dynamic between David and the Assistant was the easiest part of the process. On the one hand you have David, the professional, and on the other you have The Assistant, the buffoon. Pretty much everything The Assistant does irks David in some way, yet in the face of David’s insults and bitterness, The Assistant embraces David’s attitude with a boundless optimism and enthusiasm that only angers David further. The first comedy duo that springs to mind would be Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson in ‘Bottom’. I’ve always been drawn to the idea of rank outsiders that are stuck together whether they like it or not. I suppose the main difference is that the Assistant has only just met David – where Richie and Eddie know each other inside out in ‘Bottom’, David is all the more infuriated by an unknown entity who is ruining his plans.
Malcolm, you wrote the play and play ‘The Assistant.’ Was the character always written for yourself, or did that decision come later? And do you find it easier or harder to perform your own words?
Yes, I think that was always the intention. He was just such a joy to write, and selfishly as an actor I wanted to have the most fun on stage. Not to knock the other characters of course, but it’s not often you get to wear a Hawaiian shirt and yellow rubber gloves on stage. Performing your own words is funny though. It’s naturally easier to learn, but I do find myself occasionally getting into patterns when delivering the lines – it’s probably because when writing I find I have an internal voice that monitors the rhythm of the dialogue and so I can at times get into habits in terms of line delivery. But that’s where a good director comes in, of course. Or it’s all just in my head and I shouldn’t keep prattling on about it!
Ben, as both producer and lead actor, how do you juggle the behind-the-scenes responsibilities while staying focused on delivering an engaging performance?
Quite simple for me really. I make sure that when I’m in the rehearsal room I’m not thinking about the production side of things, all that stuff needs to be really separate. But hey, when I’m not in the rehearsal room I’m still thinking about the production as a whole, and David is certainly a part of that whole so producing surely can’t harm my performance (Although maybe ask me again at the end of the run.)
The play is described as a mystery as much as a comedy. Without giving too much away, what can audiences expect in terms of unexpected twists?
We won’t give away much, only that the audience’s notion of who the real ‘fool’ in ‘Fool’s Gold’ is may change come the final curtain. Also, there’s a ghost
You’re launching Fool’s Gold at Barons Court Theatre as your debut production under Agents of Chaos Theatre. What’s the mission behind the company, and what kind of work do you hope to create in the future?
Our mission is simply to put on work that excites us. We all bonded over our shared penchant for the comedic, but that’s not to say we won’t pursue work in other genres in the future. I think the work will always be original new writing though, and right now we want to have the most fun on stage and with each other as possible, and Fool’s Gold is the best conduit for that that we currently have at our disposal. Rest assured there’s other work cooking…
Physical comedy and rapid-fire dialogue often require tight choreography and impeccable timing. Were there any particularly challenging scenes to perfect?
A lot of the dialogue is quickfire but that’s just a case of painstakingly going over them again and again and again and again… On the physical side of things (and without giving too much away), there is a tussle that involves three of us, and said tussle includes a moment where one of us is bitten – I won’t say who. We’re still working on that. Again, we might have to get back to you!
If you could cast any two actors—living or dead—to play David and The Assistant in a dream production of Fool’s Gold, who would they be and why?
For David, I’d pick a young Bill Murray. He could really tackle the level of frustration and exasperation needed for the character. As for The Assistant, I reckon Tim Key would be my first choice. He just plays well meaning but socially incompetent characters to an absolute tee, every time.