There are productions that make you smile, productions that make you laugh, and then there are those rare productions when “surrender” is the only option. ‘The Comedy About Spies’ belongs firmly in the latter category. Mischief Comedy’s latest theatrical assault on the funny bone is riotously entertaining, breathtakingly well executed and, quite simply, one of the funniest shows I have seen in a very long time.
Written by Henry Lewis and Henry Shields, the play takes the familiar world of the 1960s espionage thriller and gleefully scrambles it into an ingenious comic farce. In London’s Piccadilly Hotel, spies from opposing sides (CIA and KGB) converge in pursuit of stolen top-secret documents called Project Midnight, plans for a deadly new weapon. Throw an actor aspiring to play James Bond, a complicated romance and an assortment of increasingly desperate characters into the equation, and what begins as a recognisable spy caper rapidly spirals into magnificent absurdity.
What set this apart from other similar productions is not simply the quantity of jokes, but the craftsmanship behind them. The script is remarkably economical, constantly setting traps that are sprung minutes later, with a line, action or seemingly irrelevant detail suddenly acquiring a hilarious new meaning. What follows is laughter that builds throughout rather than resetting between jokes, with one ridiculous situation feeding directly into another much to the audience’s glee. This is not polite chuckles or occasional bursts of amusement, but the sort of sustained, side-splitting laughter that leaves your face aching.
Matt DiCarlo directs this piece with tremendous confidence, and there is barely a moment of wasted movement. The lightning-fast pace is exhilarating without becoming exhausting and together with Movement Director Shelley Maxwell, they orchestrate some complicated physical sequences in which bodies, props and scenery appear to develop competing agendas. Slapstick can look easy when it is done this well, but the exactness and skill required is enormous. Here, the preparation and rehearsal is visible precisely because the finished product appears so effortlessly disastrous.
The Piccadilly Hotel initially presents itself as an elegant playground for espionage but gradually reveals an almost ridiculous number of theatrical possibilities. David Farley’s set is a triumph, walls, doors, rooms and levels are exploited with increasing ingenuity, and the production repeatedly changes the audience’s understanding of the space in front of them. At certain points, the scenery seems to be conspiring against the characters, and it is the result of wonderfully imaginative stagecraft, perfectly matched to Mischief Comedy’s particular brand of physical comedy.
The 14-strong company attacks the material with power and fearless commitment. Henry Lewis is superb as Douglas Woodbead, while Henry Shields makes Bernard Wright’s escalating predicament enormously funny. Dave Hearn quite literally throws himself into Lance Buchanan with formidable physical energy, and Nancy Zamit is equally assured as his overpowering mother, Janet Buchanan. Adele James brings wonderful comic instinct to Rosemary Wilson, with hilarious Chris Leask as Sergei Ivanov, Bryony Corrigan as Elena Popova and Greg Tannahill as Albert Tipton, along with several supporting characters completing an exceptionally strong company. Every single performer on stage deserves to be there, and more importantly, they function as a complete and perfect ensemble. Comedy this intricate cannot tolerate approximate timing, a reaction delivered half a second too late could flatten a joke and ruin a scene, yet everything here clicks into place with extraordinary accuracy. There is a palpable sense of trust between the performers, allowing scenes to become increasingly outrageous without losing their rhythm.
The technical achievement is equally impressive, with Deborah Andrews’ costumes, Johanna Town’s lighting, Jon Fiber’s sound and Greg Tannahill’s fight direction all contributing to a production in which design and performance are inseparable. Even during its most apparently anarchic sequences, somebody, somewhere, has clearly calculated exactly where everything needs to land.
‘The Comedy About Spies’ understands that brilliantly executed silliness is a serious theatrical skill. Beneath all the collisions, confusion and escalating absurdity is an exceptionally disciplined piece of theatre, performed by artists who know exactly how far they can push a joke. This is an irresistible night of West End comedy and comes highly recommended. The production has a limited run at the Adelphi Theatre until 26th September 2026, so rush to get your tickets now before they sell out: https://lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-comedy-about-spies
Reviewer: Alan Stuart Malin
Reviewed: 9th August 2026
North West End UK Rating: