Review of ‘Speed’: “It should be re-fined”

The Bush Theatre hosts the world premiere of this new comedy play, marking the reunion of writer Mohamed-Zain Dada and director Milli Bhatia. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if its road rage–themed plot ended up driving him up the wall.

The signs were all there. I should have known better. A play set in a rehabilitation centre for speed drivers is probably not the best start. It may not be an extreme subject, but its outcome definitely is. For it to work, it can only be either a farce or a mega-drama. It was the former – or so I was told. I was supposed to laugh, but all I could do was spot wrong turns after wrong turns. Not always is it possible to brake from reality. And so, there’s nothing else for me to do now but to take the high road now.

Hasn’t this opening come off as amusing to you? That’s okay – I didn’t think this show was funny at all either. Members of the audience were giggling – but to this day, I still wonder why. The jokes rarely landed. And it seems like the story has been towed and parked nowhere near the stage – because, for most of the performance, nothing ever happens.

It’s not until two thirds of the recount have gone by that the conflict actually unfolds. But by the time our interest is triggered, the target has left the building and is nowhere to be found. The improvement is minuscule, nonetheless. With a sudden shift from satire to thriller, all the standout themes bypass us so quickly that they are almost unnoticeable.

The piece does feature some piercing topics – focused, primarily, on racial profiling. But before we’re given any of that substance, we must cope with a full hour of empty, sloppy humour, whose sole contribution seems to be stalling the drive of the play as much as it can. It’s not an entertaining ride to take – and sadly, the only thing one can wish for is to jump out of the car on the first chance they get.

The cast is still able to maneuver their way out of the script’s clumsiness. Their performances are genuinely good – boasting great comedic timing and rapport. Yet, there’s just as much someone can do when the collision is so imminent – especially, if they’re not the ones handling the wheel. Despite their renditions being in high gear, the show is at an unavoidable standstill – and no matter how much they might try to fuel it from the outside, its lack of engine can cause no other effect but a permanent deadlock.

If you came for the fun, the closest diversion may be your best option. As with everything, there’s the slight possibility that you might enjoy yourself more than I did – not that the record is too difficult to break. Unable to get its motor running (let alone, anyone else’s), Speed fails to achieve more than a reckless narrative spinning out of control and in urgent need of a steer. Though its premise is not the most appealing, a better execution could have led to something far more gripping and much less tyresome. Don’t bother fastening your seat belts for this one – it’s not moving anywhere.

Speed plays at London’s Bush Theatre until 17 May. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara