ED2012 1/5 Reviews ED2012 Theatre Reviews

Exit Stage Left (Ecco Theatre Company)

By | Published on Wednesday 22 August 2012

A hasbeen director stages a melodrama based on his own personal tragedy in this interminable play within a play, which tries to do too much, and ends up doing nothing well. The large ensemble cast cover a range of clichéd characters, from the egotistical pretty-boy actor to the bickering backstage crew, with performances ranging from histrionic wailing to anaemic simpering. For all that, it’s the pacing which kills this play so completely – obstinately refusing to leave any thought unspoken, and repeating itself in the process. That the script references its faults only underlines the fact that this is hackneyed, hopeless and artless. When the end finally comes, the audience can’t get to the exit fast enough.

Greenside, 3-18 Aug (not 5, 12), 5.20pm.
tw rating 1/5 | [Dave Fargnoli]



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