Euan - a ★★★★★ excercise in surreal madcappery!

★★★★★ Euan

Here's a novel idea, and there are plenty of these, as you will discover, in Chewboy Productions' play, EUAN. Novel idea number one was to quote part of my review from last year on the front of the programme, ‘the ‘Chewboys are definitely a theatrical force to be reckoned with'.

As much as it is flattering to be quoted so prominently, it comes with some evident pressure. Thankfully the Chewboys – Georgie Bailey, Hal Darling and George Craig - don't disappoint and are back with a new, refined yet supercharged version of EUAN which has matured from it first outing but maintains and polishes its surreal, madcap, exhausting, smart, witty, fascinating and breathless manner.

EUAN comes with the tagline ‘a play about who knows what...' And we are quickly drawn into the mystery of the whereabouts of the eponymous Euan. Suffice to say, there are no spoilers here as to the outcome of the search; nevertheless, it is safe to assume it's ongoing.

As an ensemble, the Chewboys are captivating to watch. Three actors, who apparently have a magnetic rapport with each other and perform with such unrelenting vim, vigour and voracious commitment in their performances of this clever tightly-written piece.

Director Lucy Betts has kept a firm hand on the performances, and the whole play has been tightened up. George Craig was, once again, utterly mesmerising throughout. His regular interruptions to grab his Dictaphone to record novel ideas, or wax lyrical about his pet woodlouse were hysterical - bizarre comedy at its best. Georgie Bailey deadpans beautifully throughout, and Hal Darling looks worryingly confused. But all three display exquisite physical comedy beautifully timed with genuine laugh-out-loud moments.

So wither now for The Chewboys and the pesky Euan? Seemingly in that great Hollywood tradition, EUAN2 is in production and will be released in 2020. So I suppose that answers my point about theatrical forces and the future - assuming they actually want to find the illusive Euan in the first place?

Euan played at The Lion and Unicorn Theatre
as part of The Camden Fringe 2019