Review: Most Favoured (Soho Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s the week before Christmas, and theatres are filled with warm and festive stories of couples falling in love and a turkey roast on Christmas Day. Never one to shy away from trying something different, Soho Theatre have opted for something else entirely, presenting a one-night stand and a bucket of KFC with the world premiere of David Ireland’s Most Favoured. I’ll be honest - they had me at KFC. But would this new comedy be finger-lickin’ good, or would it be a couple of breasts short of a bucket?

Set in Edinburgh, Most Favoured focuses on the morning after a one-night stand. After spending the last eight months sleeping with strangers across Scotland, Mary has the best sex of her life when she meets American tourist, Mike. As wowed as she is by the sex, Mike seems more obsessed with this new chicken brand he has just discovered, a little-known franchise called KFC. Surprised that Mike hadn’t heard of this famously American brand before, it turns out both of them have been hiding things from each other. As the rather unbelievable truth comes out, what does the future hold for Mike and Mary?

Running at a snappy 45 minutes, Most Favoured seems to end just as it’s getting started, though it never outstays its welcome, like some one-night-stands might end up doing. David Ireland’s writing remains as sharp and witty as ever, providing some ridiculous dialogue and unexpected twists that will keep you guessing at all times. I don’t want to reveal what the secrets that come out are, as that would really be spoiling it, but it’s safe to say it has never been done before. Well… technically, it has been done once before, but certainly not on stage. If the vagueness of that intrigues you, my recommendation would be to see the show.

It’s not perfect by a long shot, and you do get the sense that it would benefit from being padded out a bit more, though the fleeting nature of the play does feel apt given the circumstances in how Mary and Mike meet. Most Favoured is at its strongest in the first half, as the weirdness surrounding Mike’s KFC obsession is played out in hilarious detail (nothing weird about it, if you ask me), and the wildly differing reactions between the pair create some fantastic odd-couple moments. When the final revelation comes out, it certainly proves a lot more divisive - you could tell this from the differing responses in the room. Though it isn’t what I expected, and perhaps could be fleshed out slightly better, overall I quite enjoyed it, though not as much as the opening moments of the play.

Max Elton’s direction uses some great choices to recreate the intimacy of Mike’s hotel room. With nothing more than a bed and clothes thrown around the stage, it relies more on the expressions and reactions of the two actors. Every face Mike makes as he takes another bite of the Colonel’s chicken goodness is joyful to watch, as is Mary’s increased confusion and conflicted responses to everything that transpires.

Lauren Lyle delights as Mary in a characterisation that requires extremes as various natures of her personality are played out in quick succession. In the space of 45 minutes, Lyle showcases Mary’s want to be loved, her cynical nature and even slightly desperate and needy quality, all the while holding her own in an electric performance. Similarly, Alexander Arnold thrills as the enigmatic Mike, with a brilliant knack for comedy stemming from the character’s love of chicken. In what starts as a relatively understated portrayal, the cracks begin to show, and Arnold, too, gets a chance to show his range as emotions get heightened. The pair play off each other beautifully, lifting the sometimes uneven writing to make a thoroughly enjoyable watch.

Two years ago, David Ireland had one of the strongest plays of the festive season with the sensational Ulster American. Though Most Favoured falls short of that genius, it is still a fitting addition to his talents as a writer. That said, there is much more that could be done to this play, and while the brisk 45-minute runtime is refreshing given some of the lengthier shows around at the moment, if it comes at the detriment of the show’s impact, I would always prefer a longer runtime. Still, Most Favoured is worth seeing for the sharp writing and standout performances from its two talented cast members. Though you may think the twist is a step too far, you certainly won’t forget about this one-nighter in a hurry. It might not quite reach the dizzying heights of KFC chicken, but it’s certainly a lot better than their fries.

Most Favoured plays at Soho Theatre until 24th January. Tickets from https://sohotheatre.com/events/most-favoured/

Photos by Danny Kaan