Writer and Director: Sam Hewitt
Reviewer: Simon Topping
The planet is safe, there is no need to worry about that, we are reassured. It’s just the people on it that are in trouble. This is The Brexorcist, a musical exploration of the evils that surround us including the indulgence of retail therapy, globalisation, money, power, prejudice, liberalism and the political elite.
Set out like a church ceremony, complete with an order of service, a priest like figure (The Brexorcist) stands before us telling us of all that we have done wrong and how we can atone for our sins. With excellent delivery, good comic timing and looking like the Dungeon Master from Dungeons and Dragons, Seth Morgan revels in this role and has great presence on stage.
There are sketches and songs on morality from the Devil (well played as a foul-mouthed businessman by Tim Leopard), with deliberately jarring and provocative images pumped to us on a big screen. Some of the music has a Nine inch Nails, industrial rock sound, and other songs lean towards ditties that could appear in The Mighty Boosh. Freedom of Movement by Glen Richardson, performed by a human Nigel Farage effigy, raises a large laugh.
The best action takes part in the second half where there is a good sketch about an Elton John-like ballad being scrutinised by an EU inspector and a thirty plus strong choir of zombies sing angelically about the clickbait stories we distract our lives with.
The Brexorcist has a few fine sketch and musical moments and genuinely engaging performances but feels confused in tone and under worked. It is more like a disparate collection of music videos than a coherent musical theatrical piece and is in need of editing and reworking to make it whole.
Runs until 22 May 2017 at The Brighton Spiegeltent
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