Birmingham University’s ‘The King of Monte Cristo’ is a meta-theatrical wonder, a hilarious play about putting on a play. An award-winning writer, played by Tom Lofkin, and a melodramatic director, Phoebe Creswell, have teamed up. Unexpectedly, the writer turns up to the first rehearsal with a completely new script – “mostly about symbiosis”. But symbiosis proves impossible, as the narcissism of all involved causes everything to descend into farcical disaster. Bradley Carpenter, the first actor – a man with three Coronation Street credits – stands out as a pretentious thespian, and in a particularly funny moment, ‘Tech Guy’ speaks from the blackness, the lone voice of reason. ‘The King of Monte Cristo’ is superb satire, student theatre at its best.

theSpace on the Mile, until 29 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Patrick Galbraith]