It's not what you know... @ theSpace, Surgeons Hall

Review by Antony Sammeroff | 21 Aug 2013

It's Not What You Know... may be theatre for - but not only for - theatre-makers. At base, it is a well-told satirical look at the difficulties of getting a gig in the competitive industry, amongst shallow know-it-alls and clueless agents. The opening piece, an acapella performance based on warm-up exercises for singers, is arranged with impossible-to-disregard competence, by James Frewer, the producer. 

In fact the whole score is acapella, accompanied by all the 'mmms,' 'bops' and 'lalalas' that come with the territory. Much of the material is based on well known melodies from favourite musicals such as Little Shop of Horrors and The Lion King.

It's Not What You Know... is a must see for fans of the musical stage. Those in (or on the "fringe" of) the biz can look forwards to seeing familiar characters come to life - bitchy casting personnel and false-friends who won't give you a leg up. A lamenting stage manager (who offers a particularly entertaining song of woe), directors who don't just want you to "do it their way" but to "show you how it's done," and an agent who makes Stephen Merchant look competent in Extras, as he tries to render the protagonist 'castable' with musical hilarity.

Run ended http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/it-s-not-what-you-know