Writer: Edmund Morris
Director: Ben Woodhall
Reviewer: Christine Stanton
“Suspenseful“
4 / 5
It’s 1964, and prolific murderer Jackie Gallagher has been killed, the gruesome details of his death and lifetime of crimes plastered all over the papers. Tasked to lay him to rest, undertakers Shaun and Robert try their best to look past his lifestyle and give him a unbiased send-off, but that proves to be harder than either of them could ever imagine.
Shaun (Edmund Morris) and Robert (Louis Davison) are best friends and colleagues, taking their job seriously and solemnly, even though their working relationship is full of comedic banter and friendly fire. Robert is a devout Irish Catholic, his religion a comforting presence in his work, while Shaun’s main motivations are to live a simple life, and do his late father proud. The arrival of Jackie Gallagher’s corpse (Harry Carter) is accompanied by a sinister, unsettling atmosphere – mysterious phone calls, strange noises and an ominous sense of foreboding that just won’t disappear.
Balancing horror and comedy is always a tough job, but Edmund Morris’s script manages to humour and horrify in equal measure. The cast do a fantastic job of building up the suspense, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats as the storyline slowly unfolds, with various shock moments and integral revelations that neatly piece together a well structured production. Running at 60 minutes long, the decision to include a 15 minute interval between two 30 minute halves, is a bizarre one, and although coming at an opportune, high-octane moment, it dissipates the well-built tension from the first half unnecessarily.
Thankfully, the energy ramps back up quickly. The three cast members maintain a constant, crackling intensity, and the plot shifts rapidly into a coherent narrative. The humour is consistent throughout, as are the character’s well defined personalities. Fergus Carver’s sound, Joe Hawkings’ lighting work in conjunction to create the eerie atmosphere, and execute the spooky nature of the storyline well. Ali Day’s set is immediately recognisable – the cold, clinical undertakers setting instantly setting the tone for the rest of the show.
Runs until 6th December 2025
RatedReviewed 
This was very good. Comical, but with some very ‘jumpy’ scenes! All three lads played their part well. But, for a one hour Production, a fifteen minute interval was unnecessary.
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