Ten minutes into Adam Meggido's Best Men I still had very little idea what was going on. The effect appears to be deliberate. The staccato dialogue is so elliptical, in that now over-familiar Mametian way, that it reveals almost nothing about the characters.
'That is the thing. The thing about Pete,' one of the men proffers, not bothering to explain what 'the thing' is.
Who are these three entirely black-clad men? Mobsters? Funeral directors? Actually, they are preparing for a wedding: Pete (Jack Murray) is the groom and either Alex (Meggido) or Tom (Alex McSweeney) is likely to be given the job of best man. The forthcoming happy event is a source of misery and bitter cynicism to the men, however, and they only really come alive in the well-staged fight that breaks out on the stag night.
After the interval comes McSweeney's Between Women, about four women as they prepare for the wedding of Anita to Pete from Best Men. The dialogue is cheerier and funnier, Laura Patch as Vicky gets the best lines and the characters wear brighter clothing.
Otherwise the general tendency is again towards pointless discussion of what they know and don't know. 'Does he know?' 'We don't know.' 'Does anyone know anything?' runs one characteristic sequence, in much the same way as Meggido's piece.
The evening has its moments but a little more matter and a little less manner would have benefited the enterprise.
Until Aug 27, Hen & Chickens Theatre, 109 St Paul's Road N1, Tue to Sat 8pm, Sun 5pm, £10, £8 concs. Tel: 020 7704 2001. Tube: Highbury & Islington
Between Women/Best Men
