Wingman explores the relationship between father and son, in a two-man show laced with warmth, awkwardness and wit.
The story begins with the character of Richard (Richard Marsh) being confronted by his estranged father, Len (Jerome Wright), while visiting his dying mothers bedside. Not the start of your typical comedy, but this show is far from typical. The script is cleverly written in well-constructed rhymes, weaving in and out of witty lines and comedic perceptions. The comforting rhythm almost hypnotically draws the audience into the story and shows Richard Marsh's intelligence as a writer.
Each scene is painted very vividly, with the black box room effortlessly becomes a hospital room, car or even rubbish dump. As the story takes the characters on a journey of discovery, they find out about themselves and their relationship with each other. Along the way, there are some wonderful moments of awkwardness, such as when the father son duo are forced to take a bath together, acting out each cringe-worthy moment of it.
They play has a very well constructed narrative, and you go along with the characters every step of the way. At the beginning, I found neither person as particularly likeable, but by the end I was rooting for them to work it out. It's a great piece of theatre, that encompasses a range of emotions and leaves you with a few questions you might have to ask yourself at the end. It feels like it is written with a really honest pen and those honest moments are where the real gold shines through.
Wingman, Soho theatre, from 2-20 September