In The C-Bomb, a new play performed by Worcester Productions, Chloe gets a phone call from an ex on her 21st birthday telling her she might have chlamydia. So she does the right thing and throws another party to break the news to her previous partners.
Katie Sayer’s script does a fantastic job at creating a nightmarishly farcical situation, and fashioning varied exes (a socially awkward debating aficionado, a quinoa-fanatic and an adidas tracksuit devotee among others) that allowed for some well-crafted one-liners. Sayer’s fresh wittiness was occasionally let down by jokes on overcooked subjects – veganism, for example, which often felt cliched. The attempt to push the script further slightly misfired by bringing in heavy issues, such as slut-shaming, during an argument that then lacked its due build-up.
Teddy Briggs gave a wonderful performance as Chloe’s down-to-earth housemate, Kat, contrasting well with Alma Prelec’s scatty Chloe. Alex McQuarrie as Jack – a typical lad, but essentially sensitive, stood out with a performance that was subtle, creating a character that was frank, sweet and easy to care about.
This was an entertaining evening with some real belly-laughs; Sayer’s comedies are definitely to be looked out for.