Tonight:
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Fiona Mountford's rating
, Omar falls flat on his face in The Great Extension
By
Fiona Mountford
4 Nov 2009
The best farce transports us to giddy comic heights because, no matter how far-fetched it becomes, the beginning is recognisable and the action powered by interior logic.
There is a reason for the vicar being in the wardrobe sans trousers. Sadly, no such strength of motive or character troubles The Great Extension, Cosh Omar’s laboured follow-up to The Battle of Green Lanes. I might be mistaken but I doubt many mosques perform early-morning marriages for drunken couples who aren’t regular worshippers.
But that’s Omar’s starting point, so off we trot after second-generation Turk Hassan (sparkily played by Omar) the morning after the nuptials before. Two exhausting hours later, we’ve had transgender houseboys, inter-Muslim shouting matches, furiously racist neighbours, Jewish builders and politically correct policemen.
Such an unconvincing scenario cannot support so many under-developed yet feverish fragments and Kerry Michael’s weak production is no help.
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Reader views (1)
"The Great Extension" is a masterpiece from the set, the acting, the writing and the questions posed. Let's try and remember it's theatre, not a documentary so we expect entertainment , professionalism, well-rehearsed lines and a response to the audience.. Couldn't fault it even though I was ready to be disappointed because of some of the mainstream reviews. The script did explore all the complexities of feelings inside a diverse community where not many people are sure whether they are supposed to think in certain ways. We are not Trappist monks and so can air views. The writer is not expecting us to go home and debate but to see the play as theatre. Twas right good
- Locallass, Leyton,london, 11/11/2009 11:45
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