The Painkiller at the Lyric Theatre Belfast
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But you could sense that it was living up to its name of beingÌýthe hottest ticket in town. Normally press nights at the Lyric include local hacks, includingÌýme, ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Maggie Taggart and Grania McFadden from the Belfast Telegraph. But on Thursday, there was a man sitting in front of me, scribbling downÌýnotes throughout, while two older ladies,Ìýaudience members,Ìýtook great delight in pointing at him. It seems this lesser spotted theatre critic wasÌýthe Telegraph's Charles Spencer. He seemed to like it.ÌýThe play and seemed oblivious to the attention of the two ladies!
So back to what's happening on stage -ÌýSean Foley's adaptation of Francis Veber's French farce "The Painkiller". Sean Foley wrote "The Play what I Wrote" which Branagh directed in the West End. In this production,ÌýBranagh takes to the stage of his hometown, playingÌýa very suave,Ìýsexy lookingÌýprofessional hit man, Ralph.ÌýMay I pause here to say that it is obvious that Branagh, despite his 50 years, works out! May I pause here to say that Rob obviously doesn't work out, which adds to the comic effect of his exposed garish boxer shorts and his trousers around his ankles bouncing up the steps of the bedroom.
Rob Brydon isÌýa press photographer, Brian Dudley, whoÌýends up in adjoining rooms to Branagh's character in a hotel. The two charactersÌýare both in town to take a different "shot" of a huge trial taking place across the road from the hotel in the nearby courthouse.ÌýÌý
It's Brydon's first stage play, and he is very good.ÌýIt was an odd moment though when he walked out onto the stage as I half thought we should have clapped him, just for being Rob Brydon. Ditto for Branagh when he came on.Ìý
As farces go, this is noÌýdifferent.ÌýThere's a lot of trouser dropping, general disrobing,Ìýsimulated sex, mainly between men, but this display of flesh and general carry on maybe won't go viral quite like Rhianna in the field in Bangor.ÌýAnd then there's the walking into doors, slipping on wet floors, and the physical comedy, particularly Branagh's, which is laugh out loud brilliant.
At one point he is given a large dose of valium, injectedÌýwith comic precision into his left buttock, Ìýand his slow awakening from it, incapable of speech or of evenÌýwalking in a straight line, is a masterclass in farce.
There's been ambivalent reaction to the play. Some like it, others loathe it. I laughed a lot, even if it was silly in places. But bottom line, excuse the pun, It's a farce.ÌýAnd while London basked in 30c,Ìýand it was bucketing from the heavens here, it's good to know that Ken and Rob and their famous friends wereÌýin town.
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