Precarious Theatre’s One Hundred Percent is dark, interesting and full of energy.
What initially drew me to this play was its concept: an embittered, failed actor confronts the examiner who once gave him a perfect score in an acting exam- a moment he believes destined him for greatness. It’s a relatively simple premise, but one that immediately piqued my interest, and I’m glad I got the chance to see it brought to life.
Having never been to The Kings Arms in Salford before (a pub downstairs with a performance space upstairs) I was unsure of what to expect. But the intimate, darkened setting, with the performers already situated in the ‘Actor’s’ studio apartment as the audience entered, served the piece exceptionally well. It effectively established a sense of claustrophobia and confinement and created the “locked room” atmosphere the production team were aiming for.
This is definitely a show for ex-theatre kids or theatre-loving adults. The script is packed with theatrical references and jokes that were well placed and witty without becoming self-indulgent. The play’s comedic moments clearly resonated with a broad audience, as the majority of the jokes landed successfully leaving the room frequently filled with laughter. This is a testament to both Benjamin Sumrie (creator of the play and playing ‘Actor’) and Francesca Maria Izzo (assistant director and playing ‘Examiner’), who demonstrated their comedic abilities and chemistry with each other.
I thought it was a particularly clever decision by the writing team (Benjamin Sumrie, Marco Biasioli, and Liam Grogan) to leave the characters unnamed. It subtly revealed how both individuals have become entirely consumed by the world of performing arts, with their identities becoming blurred by this obsession. This choice was an effective demonstration of how dangerous it can be to anchor your entire sense of self to a single pursuit and how quickly that can turn sour. The performances, paired with this creative decision, established a more interesting dynamic between the two characters, positioning them as foils to one another which elevated the play beyond the expected narrative of a pitiful examiner and an unhinged actor.
That said, the gender dynamic between the male actor and female examiner introduced an increasingly uncomfortable tension. Directional choices such as the actor frequently invading the examiner’s space and positioning himself close to her had sinister undertones that shifted the mood from uncomfortable to genuinely distressing. Reading the programme, I noted that the role of the Examiner is shared between Francesca Maria Izzo and David Allen, and I can’t help but wonder if the dynamic plays differently when the role is performed by a man and if this is something that should be considered.
As it stood in this performance, I found myself questioning why the Examiner would agree to go back to the Actor’s apartment at all. Sumrie’s performance, whilst strong, leant heavily into manic energy and his intensity and unsettling, Joker- esque laugh made the encounter feel undeniably threatening from the start. This left me wanting a more believable setup: perhaps a few more moments of pretend charm early on would make her decision to go with a relative stranger more plausible. I also feel more of this contrast would not only strengthen the narrative but would also make the reveal of the Actor’s true motives and mental state more impactful.
Aside from these small qualms, Precarious Theatre successfully did what they set out to do. This play is both uncomfortably claustrophobic and darkly comedic and I’m very interested in seeing what this company does next.