Noël Coward; Lyric, London
A brisk new backstage farce was overtaken by events, while Henry VIII’s splendid singing wives were silenced once more as London entered tier 3
All gone. And at what a moment. Last week I celebrated the flinging open of London theatres after lockdown – and looked forward to the moment when plays were not only about Christmas or Covid. This week, shows aiming to transplant audiences from the here and now burst into the bleak midwinter of the West End. Days later, theatres were closed down.
It is ironic as well as bitter that The Comeback should have its run cut short: its quicksilver capers pivot on the difficulty of getting an act together and put on. Ben Ashenden and Alex Owen have recently been running needle-sharp spoof zooms on Twitter, having proved that BBC Radio 4 comedy really can be funny with their show The Pin. The Comeback, crisply directed by Emily Burns, has the duo’s habitual quizzicalness and agility but with slapstick as well as puns, and a plot that tips its hat to stage glories: Owen has talked of the early influence of Michael Frayn’s mighty backstage/onstage comedy Noises Off.