Absent Friends

The Alan Ayckbourn formula: Functioning group of friends/colleagues/acquaintances in a ‘insert scenario here’ disrupted by ‘an other’ with hilarious consequences. The only thing is Absent Friends is somewhat bereft of anything assimilating comedy with characters, completely empty of anything you would consider empathising with or liking. It’s not really the cast’s fault, they did a decent job given the turgid text on offer. And the set/costume were bang on the money in terms of replicating 1970s. But it took an age to get to the heart of the piece and when you got there you wished you had given your time to something else.

Connaught Theatre, Worthing, 30 May 2015

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