Review of ‘Officer Scott’: “Tryin to cop-e”

London’s King’s Head Theatre opens its stage to a new international troupe of actors, bringing their latest LGBT+ – themed comedy all the way from the Brooklyn scene. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if its arresting plot manages to make out like a bandit.

It’s well-known by anyone close to me (no word play intended – some other kind maybe, though…) that any situation involving handcuffs and basements is my ultimate must-go (I actually wanted to say must-come, but I was concerned people may have misinterpreted my sincerity as a too in-their-faces attitude… you see?). Anyway, the thing is that, if a show involving cross-dressing educators, an edgy police “man” and a full display of absolute camp arrives to town (why does it sound as if I was writing the summary of an X video? No, I don’t mean the social network, I m—… Oh, wait – maybe I do…), I just can’t deny a watch if the opportunity ar(ou)ises so vividly… Let’s just breathe and move on to the next paragraph.

Enter Officer Scott (I’m starting to think the sexual innuendos are just gonna keep popping… gosh… let’s just accept it and go with the… flow…). I can’t even remember when I was… Oh, right: Officer Scott – a new cabaret-style work revolving around what’s probably the most questionable school in the district (oh, they will ask you questions indeed…), welcoming a very special guest to give their innocent, impressionable pupils a good lecture (if you think there’s an undertone there, seek medical attention immediately – the doctor fantasy is always a nice complement).

Don’t look for anything complex or revelatory in this piece – that’s simply not its purpose. But if you fancy a night of silly fun, this could be a nice ersatz good – which, despite not fully realizing everything it attempts to, can still regale you with quite a few moments of light-hearted, and delightfully absurd entertainment. You will laugh and you’ll be engaged. But the final thoughts you may have might not be as flattering as its creatives would wish for. Sure, there’s a lot of gags that are fairly enjoyable, but once those are done, the riddle begins to come up: what is the show really about?

To be honest, it’s hard to tell. And maybe the people behind it may find it difficult to do too. Apart from its quite inviting premise, there’s not much else that can be taken from a rendition that, all in all, feels closer to an alloy of jokes put all together under a same umbrella, but not assembled in a way that allows for a proper story to emerge – let alone, evolve. On the other hand, though every section features highly amusing snippets, there’s a latent vibe of excessive repetition, which instead of reinforcing its comedy, tends to water it down by constantly milking it without much success (just like me last night… What? The bottle was empty… Okay, let’s just leave it…).

Some praise should be given, anyway, to the company’s most laudable efforts to deliver what, in the end, is a genuinely appealing performance. Truly energetic, while also flaunting excellent comedic timing, the entire cast gives a hilarious portrayal which, despite its flaws, is nonetheless able to charm and, to some extent, exudes some specks of memorability. However, there are some traits to be perfected (those coming from its not-too-polished vocals, in particular), as well as a need for a more balanced used of all its members – ultimately, bringing more cohesiveness and a better equated pacing to the piece’s overall feel.

Building up the cell for a potentially priceless comedy, Officer Scott secures the grounds of an extremely promising concept, but it still far from being granted the badge of honour by lacking some essential elements in its force. Integrating audiences into its narrative with tremendous ease, it shouldn’t be too tough for its developers to bring some reformatory aspects that would take it from an average idea into something that finally manages to court its viewers. It’s competent enough to capture the imagination, but it requires more re-fine-ment for its richness to be unlocked.

Officer Scott: Too Much Isn’t Enough plays at London’s King’s Head Theatre until 24 August. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara