A side-splitting, raunchy story brought to life by talented performers!
EXPÖSED is a 21st-century adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s folktale The Emperor’s New Clothes. This play, created by Baby Lamb Productions, follows a self-obsessed fashion mogul in Berlin called Ze Emperor, whose latest designs have been critically panned and who spends absurd amounts of money at the expense of his company. When two con artists posing as French fashion designers claim to be inventing NuCloth, a fabric only visible to cool people, Ze Emperor lunges at the opportunity to reclaim his stardom.
From beginning to end, the play is full of outrageous gags. Ze Emperor’s servant is aptly named Alexa, played by comedic mastermind and director Hannah Mcleod. Also portraying one of the con artists, Mcleod is easily the most watchable performer on stage – her use of physical comedy, as well as her knack for delivering funny lines, makes up most of EXPÖSED’s multitudinous highlights. Clearly, each character has been given at least one distinct comedic trait, and the actors playing them amplify those traits to bring the audience a night of entertainment.
Ze Emperor is a brilliant caricature of the celebrities of today, and the radical fads they chase in the name of “being cool”. Jacob Baird portrays the protagonist with an etched-on pout, the random swaying of his head, and an exaggerated German accent; he makes an impression even when he is towards the back of the stage, not speaking! Ashok Gupta is equally brilliant as Ze Emperor’s hapless assistant, Yanik – though his body is (intentionally) swallowed by his black turtleneck, and his sentences are constantly cut off by Ze Emperor’s vain raving, Gupta makes an impressive dent all on his own.
Costume is, of course, extremely important in the world of EXPÖSED, and the costume designer has created a brilliant collection of clothing that effectively adds to the essence of each character. We have Ze Emperor gleaming in all white, a stark contrast to the humiliation of his nakedness (conveyed by a skin-coloured thong with a hilariously fake penis attached). We have Maureen (Nisha Emich), the mistreated assistant, in a simple yet lovely blue (cerulean?) jumper, and Emich’s second character, the unfortunately-named Areola, a New Age Movement follower from the US, in a flowing maroon dress. And on set, we have generic articles of clothing hanging on the wall, symbolising the underwhelm of Ze Emperor’s career. Each element of EXPÖSED has a purpose, signifying great attention to detail by the entire crew and cast.
While Hans Christian Anderson’s story may have important messages about the consequences of greed and vanity, these are lost in EXPÖSED. But this does not mean the show is devoid of substance – it is thoroughly fun to watch, a well-constructed and performed play to watch on a lovely night out.
EXPÖSED runs until 21st February at the Lion and the Unicorn Theatre. Tickets here.