Silence in C Minor

Alex and James are office drones – staple-benders in fact – in the large faceless corporation Organum. Bequeathed their identities in a colleague’s will, they set about discovering why Keith Flint possessed this information in the first place, and in the process discover some unpleasant secrets about Organum’s activities.

Writer JP Cooper and James Groom play multiple parts in this absurdist adventure. They are an adept and likeable pair, swiftly switching into a succession of quirky characters, from their bumbling heroes to sinister agent Poe and the clown conducting the funeral. The only slightly irksome creation is Cooper’s Cassie, who is little more than a wiggling, high-pitched voice.

With just two tiny chairs on stage, this enjoyable romp sees the pair navigate through a bizarre bureaucracy rife with danger. The pace is quick, the style Python-esque and the performers slick. Honour Bayes’ direction and Cooper’s comic script ensure never a dull moment, while the sound and lighting match the tempo of the piece and facilitate the frequent flights of fancy.

Delighting in theatrical nonsense, Silence in C Minor is pulled off with aplomb.