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The Citiest of Cities

All aboard for a hilarious journey through England’s capital, pay particular attention to the local attractions of elaborate role play, consuming rivalry and scandalous revelations about Churchill.

Ideally set in the fantastic location of outdoor riverside theatre The Scoop, The Citiest of Cities written by Sam Bevitt and Robert Trippini is the tale of two rival tour bus companies. Hyper Tours guides Alistair and Lizzie pit themselves against Jasmine and Euan of Super City, their respective blue and red uniforms announcing their contrasting loyalties to the world. But the path of Shaftesbury Avenue never did run smooth, and the competition between the two companies extends beyond the tourism business. A past romance between Hyper Tours Lizzie and Super City Euan causes tension and when we add Alistair fawning over Jasmine into the mix the result is both male tour guides proving their mettle with their microphones, creating the most extravagant alternative history of London.

In their bid to impress the guides inform us of Madame Tussauds original function as a brothel, extrapolate on the future plans for Buckingham palace to be renamed Beckingham Palace as part of a lager company’s marketing scheme and educating us in St Paul’s Cathedral’s hosting the annual clown festival involving custard pie based warfare. The female guides are not to be outshone and with their reputations at stake they partake in the one upmanship superbly. Lizzie played by Inez Mackenzie is bolshy and dismissive, playing the territorial role extremely well. In the red corner Jasmine is played as slightly skittish and excitable by Miriam Sully, eager to back up any tall tales Euan spouts about Westminster Abbey being erected in 64 AD.

This Palladini productions is highly amusing, the twist on traditional London history are inspired and are particularly amusing to locals with references to the familiar sights of gammy legged pigeons and drunken tube travellers. The scope amphitheatre is the perfect setting for this play, being in central London so close to the monuments being inventively described is absolutely ideal and really adds to the realism of the play’s bus tour formula. Both male actors bring considerable physical comedy to the play, whether it’s Euan played by Aidan Creegan enacting a nineteenth century pistol duel or Alistair played by Simon Brandon performing a Simon Cowell impression.

This play directed by Saima Duhare has some wonderful touches. The soundtrack is provided by harmonica player Will Greener, posing as a homeless busker complete with sleeping bag and bare feet. The tension is thickened and the jokes emphasised perfectly by the resonant bluesy tones. Adding to the London street setting an artist stands quietly at the sidelines using his oils to capture the scene before him.

An easy going and fun production, the script is great, the elaborate concoctions hilarious and the acting admirable. More emphasis could be placed upon the unrequited love dynamic throughout, as some of the more emotional demonstrations feel a bit abrupt. Also, whilst being staged at the Scoop provided a fantastic festival like buzz, there were times when I simply couldn’t hear what the actors were saying.

However, for an entertaining and amusing evening, The Cities of Cities is well worth the ride.

Showing at the Scoop from June the 1st to June 3rd.
Tickets: FREE!
www.palladiniproductions.co.uk" target="_blank">http://www.palladiniproductions.co.uk>