Thursday 12 May 2016

THREE STAR review for Crooks - on at a secret location in Borough

A SECRET location, dodgy dealings and a group of suited and booted gangsters. This is Crooks, an immersive, site specific and promenade production in which the audience is as much a part of the action as the six actors.
We all get given a password and the address of the location in Borough the day of the show with specific instructions. At the allotted time we arrive and are ushered into to what looks like a lock-up.
We are divided into groups of about 10 and then introduced to the gang. Headed up by the Don we are recruited as his henchmen - or are we? For amongst us there are undercover cops who are trying to bring down the Don and his team.
Drugs, guns, beatings, card games and a birthday party are all part of the fun and depending on what we are asked to do and what actions we take depends on the outcome of the evening.
There were moments when it worked really well and was quite exciting - such as when one of the team was asked to put a drug in the Don's whisky. Unfortunately it didn't quite go according to plan and he found out. That led to other consequences - some of which weren't pleasant for the Don's gang members.
But there were also moments when the action faltered - such as being in the underground bar where we had to wait for instructions. It was loud, thanks to a pulsating soundtrack, and dark so we couldn't easily see or talk to each other.
But it was fun and cleverly constructed and played out by the cast and crew, and on the night I went there was a bit of a twist at the end that none of us saw coming which added to the excitement.


Crooks is on at a secret location in Borough until May 20. Visit www.colabtheatre.co.uk for full listings.

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