Emily Dunford
As a huge fan of Tommy Wiseau’s drama/black comedy, The Room: The Musical is my new favourite production at the Edinburgh Fringe. Packing all the most famous parts of the film into a hilarious hour of mayhem, Two Spoons Productions’ The Room: The Musical is a must see of the Free Fringe.
Adapted, directed and starring, as a Gollum-Denny mutant, Ed Greenwood, the musical races through the film’s plot with interjecting musical numbers. Much of the time, like many of the film’s scenes, the songs are unnecessary, though they’re very funny and well received by the crowd.
As well as songs, references to the film’s poor character development, lack of context and rejection of all English language conventions are peppered throughout (“I have a good graps of English”). The audience responds to any opportunity they have to join in with the action; this production’s flaw is that there’s not much chance to shout “Because you’re a woman!” at Lisa (Laura Anderson) or “Woaaaaah!” at the San Francisco panorama.
Two Spoons Productions clearly have something they’re not letting on, because Joe Beaumont’s Johnny is about as close to Tommy Wiseau as it comes. He’s got the blank stare and off-Dutch accent down to a tee, and the supporting cast follows suit with exact comic timing.
If you’re wondering whether Wiseau would approve of this musical adaptation of his masterpiece, I enclose a quote from the man himself regarding his own plans for a musical, taken from a 2011 interview in The Varsity:
“It will be similar to what you see in the movie, except it will be musical. As well as, you will see… like, for example, Johnny, we could have maybe ten Johnnys at the same time singing, or playing football. So, the decision have to be made at the time when we actually doing choreography, ‘cause I’ll be doing choreography, as well I’ll be in it only one time, that’s it, as Johnny.”
That’s the idea.
The Room: The Musical is playing at Laughing Horse @ City Cafe (Venue 85) from 10, 12- 15, 12-22 and 24-30 August as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. For more information, visit the Edinburgh Fringe website.