Nostalgia is a funny thing, which is more than can be said for UWE Drama Society's shambolic bastardisation of the classic LucasArts game The Secret of Monkey Island.
Like many members of my generation, I've spent some time clicking away at these original stories of undead pirates and comedy sword-fights, and it was with a warm heart that I sat down in the theatre to see a live action re-enactment of what I knew full well to be a witty and funny script, with a lot of silliness thrown in. An hour of sub-community theatre later and not only was I late for my next show due to this farce but also felt as if somehow I'd had a piece of my youth trampled upon.
UWE Drama Society have managed to bluster up enough enthusiasm to memorise the script and throw together fairly decent costumes and backgrounds for the show. What they made up in technical skills, however, they very much lacked in comic timing and acting ability. What with several members of the cast literally speaking their lines in place of acting, the play then relied on the concepts being funny, which was let down in turn by them making no attempt to pace the humour.
It was almost fitting that, after all of that, the director had the impertinance to take a bow, presumably to let the angry theatre goers know who they ought to pelt with grog outside the building.