Review by Ozbil Dumenci
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Following a smash hit run at the Sydney Opera House Studio, Banging Denmark makes its European debut at the intimate Finborough Theatre for a four-week engagement.
The premise is simple. Misogynist podcaster Jake (Tom Kay) who has built somewhat of an empire by feeding sexist propaganda to vulnerable men on the internet turns to hyper-feminist sociologist Ishtar (Rebecca Blackstone) in order to help impress a Danish librarian who won’t fall for his usual schtick. What comes next is simple – chaos ensues and people get hurt.
What starts as feeling like it’s going to be chock full of innuendos ends up being a masterclass in symbolism. During its single-act, 100-minute run, Banging Denmark covers a lot of ground. In broad strokes, and in no exhaustive terms, cancel culture, gender politics, and loneliness epidemic in the age of modern technology all get their fair share of coverage. As someone who’s in the trenches of dating (don’t even ask), I was taken aback by how the nuanced portrayal of the alarming realities of dating in the 21st Century, both from a heteronormative and a queer lens. The choice of Denmark here is also a very intentional one, not shying from making a political statement that is hard to go unnoticed without feeling out of place or forced.
Van Badham’s script which can easily veer into appearing like a caricature lives and dies with its cast. Luckily, the ensemble here is truly a revelation, with each member providing a much-needed sense of individuality and bringing these characters to life. In addition to spectacular performances by Kay and Blackstone, James Jip’s vulnerability as long-suffering Toby is especially touching. By the end of the show, one can’t help but feel like these characters reflect parts of people we all know in real life. In fact, I’ll go one step further. I can’t speak for anyone else, but as the play boiled down to its delicate, heartwarming conclusion, I started seeing parts of myself in every character.
In part thanks to Sally Woodcock’s direction, Banging Denmark benefits from being staged in such an intimate venue. The limited space is used with great care, with the fourth wall broken in just the right ways to acknowledge the limitations of the production’s physical scope.
What could have been just another work that takes itself too seriously trying to preach to the choir, Banging Denmark establishes itself as a raunchy romantic comedy with a strong perspective. It reflects the society we live in, for better or worse, and asks whether we’re doing this whole dating thing right. Maybe I’ll just have to get off Hinge and give it a long, hard think.
Banging Denmark plays at Finborough theatre until May 11th
For tickets and information visit https://finboroughtheatre.co.uk/production/banging-denmark/
Photos by Ali Wright