When I read the premise of Laura Grillo’s What Would Jarvis Do? – two super-fans chase Jarvis Cocker’s yellow trousers in an absurd comedy about fandom, grief and letting go – I was intrigued and looking forward to a night out at Clapham ‘Common People’, writes Luigia Minichiello.
Expecting a trip down memory lane, packed with Britpop nostalgia, 90s’ gags and plenty of Pulp references, I was disappointed that the show never quite lived up to its promising concept.
Didi and GG delivered solid performances as best friends and devoted Jarvis Cocker fans who buy a pair of yellow trousers, supposedly worn by the man himself, through an eccentric therapist who spends the entire show reading from the script.
While there were moments of genuine humour, discovering the trousers were from Gap and joking that “JC” (not Jesus Christ) would never shop there. Plus, an amusing, improvised Jarvis-style song about something completely ordinary, these were too few and far between. Instead, the production repeated the same scenes, becoming increasingly surreal, almost like a homage to The League of Gentlemen.
We meet the therapist’s supposed husband, a wheelchair user who cannot speak and eats a banana suggestively in front of the audience. Later we discover he isn’t her husband at all but someone she has been holding captive. The show finally lost me when her son appears as a giant Tin Man, smashing birthday cake into his face. By this point, the surrealness felt too random, and I struggled to connect it back to the story.
For me, these were the wrong trousers. With more Britpop music, sharper writing, and stronger Pulp references, this could have been a far more satisfying comedy. As GG remarks, the therapist was wasting their time—and, sadly, I must agree.
Omnibus Theatre until 16th October
Booking and full details: https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/whatson/what-would-jarvis-do?
