Stephen Merchant doesn’t do things by halves. Although he has appeared in Hollywood movies and some of the sitcoms he has co-written with Ricky Gervais, he is making his West End debut playing the lead in a two-hander. The success of The Mentalists stands or falls on Merchant’s performance.
And although I had initial doubts he does pull it off as Ted, an "angry frustrated Englishman" (Merchant's words) who checks into a seedy Finsbury Park hotel room with his friend Morrie (Steffan Rhodri) to make a promotional video (price £29.99) for the political party-slash-cult he is forming because he hates what society has become.
Ted then, is part-Farage, part-Russell Brand, which makes Richard Bean’s script pretty prescient and topical, considering that this was first performed at the National Theatre in 2002. I did wonder if one of Bean’s influences was David Brent, as The Office would have preceded it. Ted even turns out to work at an industrial cleaning company in Swindon. Very Wernham Hogg.
There is clearly a political point being made in Bean's story then, but it is the comedy that makes it stand out. In some respects the uber-lanky Merchant has a head start in the physical humour stakes. He is so tall that at one point when he stands on the hotel room double bed during one of his angry rants his scalp nearly brushes the ceiling.
Merchant makes much of his physique. Elsewhere he leans out of the sash window and sticks one long, straight bare leg out behind him as if to stop himself from toppling into the street. During another frustrated monologue he kicks the door barefoot, inevitably stubbing a few toes. He is good with props too. A Corby trouser press and a tray of sandwiches are on the receiving end of some kickabouts as well.
Bean’s script is certainly not short on pithy quips either. There’s a diatribe against the work ethic of the Greeks that feels brand new and a fair smattering of one-liners throughout. Steffan Rhodri, aka Dave from Gavin and Stacey, also has his share of laughs as yarn-spinning lothario hairdresser Morrie.
It is perhaps no shock that Merchant can do the comedy acting. What is interesting is that in the second half when we get more of a back story where he shows that he can also do drama and pathos. There are a few twists in the plot that come out of nowhere but they are handled well. And there is a lack of vanity too. While he doesn’t appear nude as it states in the original script, he is more than happy to prance around like an idiot in his boxer shorts.
As the narrative builds to its climax Ted has his hair washed and cut live onstage, which is something I’ve never seen before. Merchant deserves praise for taking on this role, but even if he does not bag any awards, by the time this run finishes he certainly won’t have any split ends.
Until September 26. Tickets here.
