It’s silly, it’s whimsical, and it’s delightfully camp.
Philos and Amica Do Time, starring Leah Aspden and Nathaniel Jones, is an outrageously silly romp through time following two best friends in pursuit of fame and penises, in equal measure.
Philos and Amica have always wanted to perform on stage to many an audience, but they seem constantly resigned to scanning tickets and directing wealthy theatre-goers to their seats, before resigning themselves to the foyer as soon as the action begins. Eventually, they decide enough is enough, quit their jobs, and jump to the Middle Ages to pursue their dreams.
The first quarter of this piece takes place in Ancient Greece, as Philos and Amica usher at the Colosseum. From its name, you may seduce that time travel is a dominant feature of this play. We leap from Ancient Greece to the Middle Ages, to the Regency Period, and eventually, inevitably, to Modern Day. Such time hopping facilitates much spoofiness and hilarity, and modern vernacular infiltrates amusingly.
Much of the stagecraft and scenery relies on projections onto a screen which functions as a backdrop. They help to visually indicate the time jumps, flipping from a medieval church to a carriage to a barking dog. It’s a deeply campy choice, and the consistent commitment to it makes it work ever so well. Director Glyn Owen is in charge of these projections, only increasingly the delirious silliness of it.
Both Aspden and Jones are great, and their friendship ever so plausible. One of the greatest strengths of the piece is its witty anachronisms and its use of modern-day culture melded to fit ideas of the time period in which they belong at that point. HMRC is a fixture of almost every age; for example, in the Middle Ages, Amica’s new job is a tax collecter for HMRC’s Sin Tax. Philos accepts tutelage under Lord Byron, who gives him both advice and syphilis (perhaps not that anachronistic); ye old-ified brand names abound (in their multitudes, I can’t recall any, but they were all funny – I guess you’ll just have to go see the show if you want further enlightenment)
The energy did flag at times, partly due to volume, and the onstage costume changes. Certainly, the deliberately am dram nature of it justified these somewhat. Even so, the energy cultivated on stage is so delicate and precious that even a few seconds of static can damage the vibe. Volume, too, was occasionally an issue.
Costumes were a particular source of fun as the obvious indicators of time travel. Philos decked up as a Medieval princess in pink dress and pink hennin was amusing especially in its contrast with Aspden’s tattoos and mullet. There is a delightful chaos throughout all of Philos and Amica Do Time.