Down to Chance | Pleasance Theatre

The lights flicker. Rumbling noises fill the room. A radio crackles into life.

Through this, Maybe You Like It Productions transport audiences to Anchorage, Alaska, on the eve of the 1964 Good Friday earthquake. Radio reporter Genie Chance (portrayed by writer Ellie Jay Cooper) has recently moved to Anchorage from Texas with her young family. She has a commitment to “getting the real story” which she is trying to impart to intern Dom (Robert Merriam), but is frustrated at the lack of opportunities for her at her new station. But that all changes when the earthquake hits and the radio becomes a vital tool for disseminating information about the relief effort, locating missing people, and much more.

Cooper and Merriam both wear multiple hats (and scarves and sometimes fur stoles), bringing a full cast of characters to life, switching between them at a sometimes baffling rate. This makes for a slightly messy and confusing opening, but once the quake hits and both the actors and Cooper’s script get into their stride, it allows for a masterclass in acting and comedy.

Indeed, the show is packed with laughs, with many of these provided by intern Don and choirmate Kathleen (or should I say Kathleen and Dom?) and their frantic attempts to keep the audience’s attention on the radio between Genie’s broadcasts.

But this is also a true story of a natural disaster, and Cooper’s script adeptly handles all of the drama and pathos which that implies. A scene in which the first missing persons announcements are broadcast is particularly poignant.

There is a lot covered within the 70-minute runtime, and some of the plotlines would benefit from additional breathing space and development in order to fully land. I’m sure there were few in the audience who would not be pleased to spend more time with Genie and the rest of the characters.

The piece is sparsely staged, as befits its fringe beginnings, but sound and lighting design are used to excellent effect in heightening the atmosphere at key moments. Period touches such as vintage radios and mics also transport the audience back to the 1960s.

A promising piece of theatre in need of more development and a longer run time in order to tease out some of its threads, Down to Chance gives a lot to be hopeful for about the future of Maybe You Like It Productions.

Down to Chance runs at Pleasance, London until 9 May. It can be viewed independently or as part of a double bill with Sorry (I Broke Your Arms and Legs), another offering from Maybe You Like It Productions. For more information and tickets, follow the link here.

★★★☆☆ (3*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review