Simon Stone’s contemporary adaptation of Russian playwright Nikolai Erdman’s 1928 play ‘The Suicide’ is the current production playing downstairs at Belvoir street theatre.

‘The Suicide’ features a dorky main character, Semyon Semyonovich. Semyon is having a miserable time of life. He’s out of work, he’s forced to live under the roof of his mother in law, and isn’t respected by his domineering wife. A bit of an impulsive man, there’s a feeling that he might just take his own life.

A funny, charming early scene in the play sees him being serenaded by a group of his friends who transform into a group of dancing girls and endeavour to cheer him up.

The play then takes a sudden twist. An opportunistic local government official hears of Semyon’s situation, and offers him a media funeral deal with huge entitlements for his family, with the understanding that he suicides!

Carved out of this dark, absurdist premise, director Simon Stone makes fast paced, entertaining theatre. An energised cast dive in unreservedly into Erdman’s richly satirical world. Clearly, the playwright had a cynical and gothic outlook on the Stalinist regime! The furthest point of his satire takes place when, in one scene, he has various charities grovel and audition in front of Semyon, desperately trying to get him to choose them as his charity of choice so that they can receive the ‘spotlight’ at his funeral.

Gareth Davies gives a whirlwind comic performance as Semyon. He’s especially funny in the angst ridden moments when his character tries to finish himself off. The supporting cast are great, with the talented Shelly Lauman impressively multi-tasking, playing some seven roles.

An exuberantly performed production, this BSharp production, presented in association with the Hayloft Project, plays downstairs at Belvoir Street theatre until the 11th April, 2010.