Theatre Review: The Passion of Living Spit, Tobacco Factory Theatres

Summary

Rating: ★★★★

Running Dates: Friday 29th March - Saturday 13th April

Where to see it: Tobacco Factory Theatres

Duration: 1 hrs 30 mins (including 20 min interval)

Keywords: Hilarious, Satire, Witty Parodies

Review

If you're up for a hilarious take on a sacred story, then this is your ticket to laughter!

As signaled by its disclaimer: this show is not suitable for the faint-hearted or devoutly religious. And yes, it lives up to the warning! Who could have guessed that the Crucifixion of Christ could be this hilarious!?

Beverly Rudd takes on the role of Jesus, with a perfect blend of wit and heroism. While Petta Maurice and Stu Mcloughlin masterfully juggled a myriad of characters, including the 12 disciples, Mary and Satan. The quick changes in costumes and characters are mind-blowing. They seamlessly switched between roles faster than you can say "amen"! Keeping track of which character corresponds to which hat and expression is not an easy job to do – it is a testament to their remarkable talent. 

Now, let's talk stage- I've never seen a theatre production with such minimal stage setup before! And when I say minimal, I mean they only had a folding screen as their backdrop. Initially, it did feel a bit too overly simplistic! However, they made up for it with an abundance of props. I tried to count them, till about 10 or 12, but eventually lost track! Behind that screen, they had everything – from character wigs, caps, and costumes to even a zebra! It was impressive how they brought the performance to life primarily through these props rather than elaborate stage design.

As for the script, it's like a breath of fresh air for the bible, infused with puns, witty parodies, and clever modern parallels. It offers a contemporary spin on the age-old story of Easter. It cleverly tackles the illogical aspects we've all pondered during our obligatory Sunday school days. The abundance of puns adds to its charm, and they're executed flawlessly. 

The songs and parodies are absolutely fantastic. Particularly noteworthy is Mary Magdalene's rendition of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" – it was spot-on! I anticipated some relevant social commentary, and I wasn't disappointed. From comparing Jesus's miracles to the NHS workers & their pay to throwing shade at social media influencers, they've got it all covered. 

In my opinion, I found the second half to be even more enjoyable. That's because it contained the most thrilling moments of the show - the Last Supper and the Crucifixion! One might anticipate these scenes to evoke deep emotions, but surprisingly, they were the ones that had the audience bursting into laughter. 

Overall, "The Passion of Living Spit" is a riotous ride through religious satire that'll leave you laughing. 

Standout Quote or Moment: Stu’s healing the ‘Lepeord’ scene!

See If: you want to watch Christ’s crucifixion and laugh! 

Last Impression: Kept me entertained throughout. While it wasn't exceptional, it's definitely worth seeing. I was particularly impressed by their ability to stage the Easter story with just a handful of actors.

To get tickets for The Passion of Living Spit click here

We were kindly gifted these tickets in exchange for a review.

Written by Dimple Meera Jom