Camden Fringe 2024: Scriptless at Lion & Unicorn Theatre

The script is the cornerstone of any theatre production, whether an original piece or a reinterpretation of a classic. Casting can’t even begin without it, not to mention the staging and other preparations. True, actors sometimes go off script, either on purpose, for a creative gimmick they’ve devised, or accidentally, in which case improvisational skills can drive the performance.

But what if everyone has been in long rehearsals, primed to electrify the audience, except for one member who’s been thrust onto the stage on the very evening of the performance, completely oblivious to the plot, the tone or the lines? That’s the conceptual spark of writer and director Kieran Jordan for Scriptless, a production that was first presented as a work-in-progress at the Camden Fringe a couple of years ago and is now premiering at the same event, at The Lion & Unicorn Theatre.

The play centres around an engagement party, to which a few friends are invited, yet a sordid secret looms, threatening the future happiness of the celebrated couple. What was set to unravel as a blend of drama and a whodunnit instead hilariously unfolds as a comedy, given the actor playing the fiancé – a key figure in this ensemble – had only just joined the company moments before the curtain went up.

The five official characters are well-drawn, each bringing distinct personalities that add to the story and scenes, creating numerous humorous moments as the impromptu husband-to-be flubs his lines, or their attempts at seriousness are undone by an unintended gesture or mimicry that makes theatregoers crack up.

It’s a clever strategy to change the sixth (the scriptless) performer every night, injecting a fresh unpredictability into the show and adding startling twists and turns. It remains somewhat ambiguous whether those stepping into the role are artists themselves or merely random friends. However, given the scripted arrival of a scriptless character, it would perhaps be beneficial to establish some guidelines to foster more entertaining exchanges and reduce breaking the flow of the performance. On the evening this writer attended, for instance, the cast themselves frequently erupted in laughter, which disrupted the tension crucial to making the absurdity of the setup work.

That said, the actors keep a brisk pace in the second half of the production, and their overall stage presence is masterful.

Cristiana Ferrauti
Photo: Courtesy of the show

Scriptless is at Lion & Unicorn Theatre from 22^nd until 24^th August 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.