Directed by Safa Alli
Written by Tom Basden
Review by Dominic Corr
When Tom Basden’s sharp character comedy Party first stormed the Edinburgh Fringe back in 2009, it captured a very specific, fiercely idiosyncratic brand of youthful political naivety. Now returning to the stage in a student-led production at the Bedlam Theatre thanks to the amazing folks of The Edinburgh University Theatre Company, and directed by Safa Alli, the premise remains delightfully compact: five ambitious, intensely self-important university undergraduates crowd into a suburban garden shed—a summerhouse—to birth a brand-new political movement. Their grand ambitions of saving global civilisation, however, immediately bottleneck over the monumental, paralysing task of agreeing on a basic party name.
The physical design immediately grounds this micro-universe of youthful hubris, utilising a meticulous, naturalistic set featuring a single bare light bulb dangling from the ceiling like a premature eureka moment—a deliciously pointed visual irony given for these well-meaning radicals. Alli’s direction maintains a relentless comedic rhythm, leaning into petty squabbles over non-fairtrade coffee and cake rations. Yet, this absolute fidelity to the 2009 text creates a curious temporal friction. While Alli’s critique of modern public discourse for mirroring hollow social media algorithms, the production itself remains a relatively straightforward period piece. Trapped in a pre-identity-politics framework where characters debate obscure geography rather than contemporary structural crises, the satire occasionally lacks sharp, modern teeth, even if the situational humour remains delightfully intact.
Any textual nostalgia is rapidly eclipsed, however, by the blistering, razor-sharp chemistry of the ensemble. Ava Godfrey, Liv De Pury, Billy Hobbs, and Noel Chappell hurl themselves into their respective archetypes with fierce physical commitment and distinct vocal styling, bouncing off one another with nerve-fraying realism. It feels less like watching a conventional play and more like illicitly spying through a shed window on fragile egos collapsing under the weight of their own self-inflicted importance. Adding a brilliant splash of dry pathos, Roni Shaham delivers a memorable cameo, effortlessly navigating the challenge of entering a tightly wound group dynamic without disrupting the pacing.
As the shed lights flicker out and the laughter rolls across the Bedlam auditorium, Party proves to be a thoroughly entertaining, if textually frozen, exercise in character comedy. It may sidestep deep political excavation in favour of easy laughs, but its unbridled youthful enthusiasm and polished execution are undeniable. Leaving this haven of talent, one cannot help but smile at the timeless, absurd spectacle of bright minds trying to rewrite the universe before bedtime.
A Polished Execution
Party was performed at Bedlam Theatre
Review by Dominic Corr (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Editor of Corr Blimey, and a freelance critic for Scottish publications, Dominic has been writing freelance for several established and respected outlets such as BBC Radio Scotland, The List, The Scotsman, Edinburgh Festival Magazine, The Reviews Hub, In Their Own League, The Wee Review and Edinburgh Guide. As of 2023, he is a member of the Critic’s Award for Theatre Scotland (CATS) and a member of the UK Film Critics.
