Words by India Farnham
I have a pretty fun job, as careers go.
I get to pop into the artsy and cultural goings-on in and around Bristol and jot down my thoughts on them. Glorious.
But, as I discovered last night (27 October at Tobacco Factory Theatres), the members of Clevedon-based comedy theatre company Living Spit win the fun job competition by an Olympian mile.
Living Spit make (in their own words) poorly researched historical comedy drama shows and tour them all over the UK. What this looks like in reality, and as was the case when I saw them, is two best mates wearing slightly ill-fitting costumes engaging in an hour-long vaguely historical inside joke in questionable accents. And it’s bloody brilliant.
Their latest offering is Too Many Greek Myths. Allow me to get you up to speed. Stu McLoughlin and Bev Rudd, two members of Living Spit, are caught bragging about being the best North Somerset based historical-comedy group in the whole of… well, North Somerset, by the ultimate ‘Siblings or Dating?’ duo, the almighty Zeus and Hira (spoiler alert: they are indeed both siblings and dating).
Enraged by their inflated egos, Zeus decides to knock them down a few pegs. How, you ask? A theatrical challenge of course!
This is how Stu and Bev find themselves having to squeeze 20 of the greatest Ancient Greek myths into one show, or else, and how we the audience find ourselves coming along with them for the ride.
Now, my knowledge of the Greek myths extends about as far as the 20 pages of my brother’s Percy Jackson book that I read on holiday when I was bored of my own book about 12 years ago. But, if you’re in the same boat, then fear not, mere mortal, because Bev and Stu are only just figuring it out too.
Armed with a couple of supermarket togas and a tennis racket for a guitar, the duo flip between gods, heroes, and villains at a rip-roaring pace with an enthusiasm and dry wit which is quintessentially British.
Between laugh-out-loud quips about how Greek mythology has trickled down into 21st-century life (‘Hermes!’/ ‘I’m called Evri now’), and catchy micro song breaks (we particularly enjoyed Orpheus’ cover of The Jackson 5’s I Want You Back), there are genuine insights into the historical subject matter that underscore the silliness and keep the whole family engaged. You might be laughing at the mythology-themed local banter (‘I heard the Underworld is a no man’s land where no one dares goes- it’s a bit like… Weston-super-Mare’), while the 10-year-old across from you will be laughing at the silly man with the sheet wrapped around his head. But ultimately: everyone’s laughing.
As hilarious as a pantomime rendition of a Scouse Pandora trying to resist opening her box (or jar) is, the real mythological magic binding Too Many Greek Myths together is the chemistry between Stu and Bev. The pair’s boundless joy, improvised banter and complete conviction in their utter ridiculousness gives the whole show the vibe of an extended History GCSE group project in which everyone involved has a serious case of the giggles. Friendship! It might just save the world. And I think it actually did, in this instance.
Too Many Greek Myths. I went with my best mate and felt like I’d made two more. Go with yours!
Too Many Greek Myths is on at Tobacco Factory Theatres until 1 November. Tickets here.
