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Star Trek Bakehouse Theatre Wed 8 March How's this for science fiction - my companion on opening night had never seen an episode of Star Trek! "It's life, Jim, but not as we know it." Unseen Theatre Company, normally palpitating over Pratchett pieces, has taken the Enterprise into the farthest reaches of spoof comedy. 'Star Trek' the play comprises two beloved episodes: 'The Trouble With Tribbles' and the renamed 'Journey To Babel.' Mind you, the scripts are slightly warped from the originals, the bridge looks like it's made of cardboard, and I've never seen such bad acting look so good. Much of the action takes place off the bridge and this is shown on laughably shot and edited video by Robert Andrews to preserve that filmic feel. Stage Director Pamela Munt tickled the funny bone at every swoosh of the sometimes malfunctioning sliding door and push of the multitudes of imaginary buttons. All the major characters are wonderfully parodied - Mr Scott, Bones and Spock - but honours go to Steve Parker as Captain James T Kirk. Not only does he bear an uncanny semblance to William Shatner, Parker captured all of the confidence, swagger and commanding presence of the original. Parker swung from a slightly understated performance in the first episode to over the top in the second, but all was forgivable given the production's successfully achieved objective of satirising this remarkable TV series with love and affection. Certainly one of the highlights of my Fringe.  |
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