Writer and Director: Police Cops
Tommy is stuck in a dead-end call-centre job selling magazines, dreaming of a better life and desperate for more excitement than just his standard weekends down the pub. After a spate of vampire deaths in town, he crosses paths with vampire killer Badass, and together they save the world (or at the very least, Manchester).
Tom Roe (Tommy), Nathan Parkinson (Badass) and Zachary Hunt (The Devil) are an absolutely hilarious trio. Their clever comedy writing combined with their likeably charming onstage personas make them a force that even Badass himself would struggle to reckon with. With frequent off-script references to their own ridiculousness or acknowledging portions of the show that don’t quite go to plan, it further showcases their naturally comedic abilities, quickly reacting to every scenario with flair and wit.
This multi-genre show is part soap, part vampire horror and part musical all mixed together to create an 100% laugh yourself to tears comedy. With a similar comedic style to cult classics such as Shaun of the Dead, What We Do In The Shadows and The Mighty Boosh, as well as utilising parodies of popular films, it’s a multi-faceted masterpiece that can’t be faulted.
Outside of the ingeniously written script the most creatively brilliant part of this show is their use of bizarre props to get yet another laugh from the audience. Whether it’s a sword made out of a sock, a water cooler hidden in a coat or an exploding head scene using a balloon and teeth in lieu of a forgotten pin, they utilise the lower budget performance to their advantage to create a comedy that rivals anything else on the theatre scene. The fight sequence using Action Men is impeccable and it takes genuine innovation to come up with some of the techniques they use in order to make this show unique.
Comedy shows are often hard to get right, especially on a small stage, but Police Cops have the wit, comedic timing and creativity that make it look easy. While this show is built around the humour, the narrative and ridiculous plot tangents are strong enough to keep the audience hooked. Your cheeks will hurt from laughing so much – hilarious ingenuity at its best.
Runs until 14 May 2022
