Writer: James Graham
Directors: Daniel Evans and Seán Linnen
The iconic soundtrack and bright lighting of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire set the scene for the latest show at Newcastle Theatre Royal. James Graham’s play Quiz is an evening of light entertainment set around the serious topic of fraud.
This show first opened at the Minerva Theatre in Chichester and then transferred to the West End in 2018. This led to a television adaptation for ITV in 2020.
The play charts the birth of the quiz show through to the coughing Major scandal. The coughing Major, as many who are familiar with the show will remember, won the £1 million jackpot in 2001. He was subsequently accused of attempting to defraud the quiz show. This was followed by his trial and him being found guilty along with his co-conspirators.
The setting of the play is simple with lots of slick scene changes. Many of the cast take on multiple roles which can become confusing at times.
The first act goes backwards and forwards in time as it reconstructs the events leading up to the accusation of fraud of the so called coughing Major. Some interesting facts of how the quiz was devised and it’s consequential success creates a solid beginning.
The audience become the jury as the court room scenes are played out. However the prosecution lawyer was out of vision for most of this act and he became a disembodied voice for a section of the audience.
At the end of the first act the audience are asked to vote, via a voting button. The question being Guilty or not Guilty? You decide.
Act Two replays much of the first act but from a different viewpoint. The audience are given extra information and opinions slowly change. The arguments by the defence lawyer are compelling and a strong performance by this actor is clearly seen.
This is an evening of light entertainment set around the serious topic of fraud. Lots of light and shade are seen throughout with a sprinkling of silliness thrown into the mix in the form of pub quizzes and karaoke nights. An entertaining piece of choreography was played out by a group of commuters on the tube with a chorus of coughs cleverly woven in.
Rory Bremner portrays Chris Tarrant with a well observed characterisation.
Lewis Reeves and Charley Webb as Charles and Diana Ingram give solid performances. Reeves, as the Major, particularly showing through his body posture a man who becomes broken through the weight of events.
Mark Benton has to be commended for taking on multiple roles with aplomb, the audience clearly showing they enjoyed his performance.
This play certainly created lots of after show conversations and musings as the evening ends with the audience once again being asked the question. Guilty or not guilty? You decide. An evening leaving you with more questions than answers. Was justice served? Who knows? You decide.
Runs until 7th October 2023.
