Guest Reviewer: Elise Gallagher
Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐
William Hone is a provocative pamphleteer who, quite unbelievably, was subjected to three trials in three days. His crime? Libel and blasphemy after he published a series of spoof caricatures relating to the church and the Prince Regent. Think memes on Twitter.
Written by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman and directed by Caroline Leslie – Trial By Laughter is by the same creative trio who brought 2016’s The Wipers Times to our stages – however, this tale of historical satire pales in comparison.
A courtroom is the perfect breeding ground for all degrees of drama, and this remarkably true story has the added element of comedy – making it a perfect addition to Hislop and Newman’s portfolio. Which is why I was so disappointed with the outcome, with a true story so rich it was a shame for it to be wasted.
The narrative lends itself perfectly to the modern day discussion around freedom of the press and freedom of speech. It also serves as a refreshing and quite a smirk-inducing reminder that political incompetence, corruption and self-indulgence is hardly anything new.
I really liked how the production played around with the setting, making fun and innovative use of the space as they shot between past to present. I also really enjoyed Dan Mersh’s performance, doubling up as Lord Ellenborough and Hazlitt. I also have a huge amount of respect for Joseph Prowen, who, playing the protagonist Hone, delivered his defense at lightning speed.
Eva Scott and Helena Antoniou also did a fantastic job as the ever competing wife and mistress of the Prince Regent – the costume design was particularly good too, emphasising the absurd nature of the situation.
However, it was Jeremy Lloyd’s performance as Prince Regent which I enjoyed the most. The outrageous nature of his character was a factor which didn’t fail to deliver genuine laughter. He was a perfect blend of Regency grandeur meets Michael McIntyre – and I loved it.
But one feature that I really wasn’t fond of was the use of canned laughter and cued interjections from the “jury”. It would often make the audience cringe and sometimes came across as a safety feature to compensate any missed laugh-out-loud moments.
Having enjoyed The Wipers Times so much I went to A Trial By Laughter with a head full of expectations, all of which dwindled away as the play progressed. It seemed to lack the spirit that the duo’s first play brimmed with.
Trial by Laughter first found success as a radio play on Radio Four, and you can see why – a persecuted innocent, revolution, corruption of the higher classes and a highly mocked royal make the story perfect for any audience, it’s just a shame it didn’t quite hit the mark.
-Elise Gallagher
Trial by Laughter runs at The Lowry until Saturday 2nd February 2019.