The Vegemite Tales

Making its first venture into the West End, The Vegemite Tales focuses on the frenetic lives and loves of a group of Australians sharing a house in North London. Thankfully the Venue perfectly compliments the intimacy of the piece while allowing a much larger audience to sample the delights of this hilarious antipodean comedy. Writer Melanie Tait continues to add touches that keep the work fresh and Bill Buckhurst’s tight direction, mixing mime, video footage and now even a musical theatre number ensures the pace never falters. Designer Ben Stones has done a wonderful job at recreating the messy Hammersmith lounge but it is the characters that add the colour to this piece.

Neighbour’s heart-throb Blair McDonough takes on the role of Dan and pitches this Aussie alpha male with just the right amount of gusto. While McDonough handles the broad comedy with practised ease and exquisite timing, it is the strong dramatic and sweetly romantic moments tempering this play that allow the character three-dimensional clarity. Equally superb is the delightful Tom Sangster as Eddie, the hapless clown of the house. His opening of the second act brings the house down while Sarah McGlade gleefully relishes the role of Maddie, the feisty writer with a crush on Dan. Andrew Robb as long-time resident Sam and Jessica Gerger as Gemma balance the show with their relative maturity and there is a monumental tenderness in their final scene together.

Those in search of quality theatre during the seasonal Edinburgh-induced slump should head for Leicester Square for a great evening’s entertainment.