A darkly zany comedy about mental health, with a dramatic climax
Men make up roughly 50% of the UK population, yet account for nearly 80% of its suicides. The unnamed protagonist in Double Act aims to contribute to this statistic, heading to Eastbourne to throw himself off a cliff. He has grand plans for his last day alive. Nick Hyde, who is also the show’s writer, and Oliver Maynard play dueling aspects of the man’s personality and a host of characters he meets along the way. This is a twisted yet surprisingly warm comedy, culminating in a delightfully dramatic final scene that has the audience gripped.
Staying inside the protagonist’s head is innovative and well-executed by Hyde and Maynard. Their natural chemistry shines, whether they’re talking in unison, swatting at one another while moving scenery, or shouting over each other mid-argument. For much of the show, Double Act emphasises the comedy of this situation, and does a strong line in both observational humour and physical clowning. Hyde’s snappy script finds the laughs in everyday mundanity, including a wonderfully awkward encounter with an old school friend now “in finance” and an inflexible train ticket inspector. Some of the biggest laughs come from call-back gags – the audience will hear about more than a few unlikely modern children’s books – and these repeated motifs lend the show’s conclusion a dramatic impact.
The weight of Double Act comes from the audience’s knowledge of where
this madcap journey is heading to the edge of a cliff and beyond. Much of its narrative tension comes from moments of human connection – both spontaneous and planned – and whether they will change the protagonist’s decision. Hyde and Maynard ably pivot out of comedy to hint at the despair lying underneath, ensuring the audience never forgets the show’s darker undercurrents. When the jokes are stripped away for the final ten minutes, this exposes a raw emotion that is genuinely impactful.
The sense of drama is aided by clever staging. Much of the dialogue is performed into hand-held microphones, which are dropped when the two personalities clash, adding an edge to their interactions. Scene transitions embrace a vaudevillian theatricality, playing on the “sad clown” trope to great effect.
Originally conceived as an independent project at drama school, Double Act retains a raw, experimental energy, for better and worse. At times, everything feels a little overdone – over-the-top clowning can clash with a more realistic scene; some emotions are emphasised to the extreme; and the opening scenes throw a lot of “theatre” at the audience in one go. Sometimes, it’s initially unclear whether the performers are playing their dueling personalities or someone in the real world.
However, these missteps are easily forgiven because of the charm running through both the comedy and the drama of Double Act. While these elements remain largely separate, both are executed with precision, ensuring each lands with impact. The resulting combination makes for a thoroughly entertaining 90 minutes, culminating in a conclusion that is both poignant and powerful.
Double Act plays at the Southwark Playhouse until 5th April, with Saturday and Tuesday matinees.
Tickets can be purchased here.