“A sharp, self-aware, energetic comedy that entertains throughout, even if its emotional arc feels a little undercooked.”
Picture this: An all-male prison engulfed in flames, with a growing mountain of corpses piling up just outside Warden Preston’s door. And to make matters worse, his crush is due any minute now for a prison inspection. The stakes couldn’t be higher. So, what’s a man to do in such a situation? In A Most Pressing Issue, the answer is clear: delegate it to your employees and avoid facing the problem at all costs.
Ward Preston (Tim Harris) and his assistant Orly (Matt Williams) are the captains of this sinking ship, and they make for an entertaining and watchable duo. They collaborated in the writing of the script, and it is clear that they know these characters inside out. Their dynamic is both funny and strangely tender, a stark contrast to their flawed characters and the chaos unfolding around them. Their refusal to confront the fire leads to a series of increasingly chaotic and absurd decisions that keep the audience laughing throughout. Adding to this mix is The Sergeant (Alex Gordan), a self-obsessed, overly confident yet utterly useless officer– a buffoon who embodies toxic masculinity and power dynamics the show satirizes. The only voice of reason seems to come from HR intern Celeste (Natasha Mula), the play’s sole female character. Her grounded presence provides a much-needed breath of fresh air and balance amid the surrounding madness.
While the jokes land well and entertain, they grow somewhat repetitive. The humor leans heavily on similar gags, which confines the performers to a singular note and limits their range. The stakes also feel oddly low given the dire situation– though the characters repeatedly reference the fire and express concern, it never truly affects them as deeply as one might expect. Because the characters mostly care only about themselves– or, in Celeste’s case, engage with the crisis rather passively– the humor loses some of its bite, and the ultimately tragic ending fails to resonate emotionally. Had the characters shown more investment in the fire, or experienced a clearer journey, the play would have been both funnier and more moving.
This shortcoming is most evident in the tender moments, which fail to fully resonate because the audience isn’t sufficiently invested in the characters or their struggles. The play’s most vulnerable monologue– described in the script itself as “moving”–occurs during a power outage in total darkness. It’s an intriguing concept, reflecting how men sometimes only allow themselves to be vulnerable when unseen, but unfortunately, it falls flat in execution.
The lighting, sound and stage design were simple but effective. Props aid in what are some of the most memorable physical gags, and they are used creatively– especially during a silent clowning moment where Matt Williams gets to show off his clowning chops with a bottle of lotion, water, a fan and a fire extinguisher.
Overall, the play is an enjoyable, entertaining watch that will surely leave Edinburgh audiences smiling this summer.
Author: Mackie Reyes