★★★★★
Adelaide Fringe. The Studio at Holden Street Theatres. 18 Feb 2022
Afghanistan is Not Funny is an outstanding piece of theatre written and performed by playwright Henry Naylor. In previous Fringe Festivals, Naylor has presented plays from his Arabian Nightmares series to critical acclaim, and this show is no exception.
Afghanistan is Not Funny is almost a return to Naylor’s roots – he started out as a stand-up comedian before becoming a serious and much lauded playwright. The text is beautifully written, as we have come to expect from him, with no word wasted. It is autobiographical and is about some authentic field research for a play he wrote for an Edinburgh Fringe festival in the early 2000s. It is about the war in Afghanistan, or more particularly about how it was being reported by the mainstream media. One wouldn’t have thought there was much comedy in this, but one can be mistaken!
Naylor’s research took him to the actual warzone, and the text recounts his time there, the events he witnessed, and his knack for getting himself into trouble. The things he witnessed gnawed at his guts and upset his equilibrium, but eventually resulted in a play and a screenplay that was of interest to no less than Hugh Grant!
Naylor brings a number of key elements to his play and performance: he is a skilled writer who keenly and incisively observes and reflects upon the human condition; he is a consummate storyteller; and he is a practised performer who knows how to wring every last emotional response from his audience. Crucially, he has a deep understanding of the fine line between comedy and tragedy. He is able to cross backwards and forwards between them with consummate ease, and his audience does not feel guilty at laughing at things that are downright sad. Indeed, Naylor gives permission for this to happen.
In typical Fringe fashion, Afghanistan is Not Funny is set on a bare stage with the barest minimum of properties, and other theatrical elements are also pared down. The blocking is a little clumsy at times and is a (very) minor distraction at times, but the absolute focus is upon a writer and his text. Everything else is extraneous.
Afghanistan is Not Funny is funny, at times, and always deeply moving. It is a triumph and not to be missed.
Kym Clayton
When: 18 Feb to 13 Mar
Where: Holden Street Theatres
Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au
