Cure

Right from its lively, inventive opening, Cure stands out as a classy and extremely enjoyable production. We see the five characters emerge like faceless film noir figures, and introduce themselves one-by-one in a funky dance routine that has them change costumes while concealed behind newspapers. It’s a distinctive, well-conceived segment that brilliantly sets up the rest of the drama.

One of these characters is a contemporary politician who inadvertently stumbles across a cure for cancer which turns out to be worse than the disease itself. Eager to win the upcoming election but firmly in the pocket of a shady, all-powerful corporation, he sets off on a racy adventure filled with moral dilemmas and underhand deals. An idiosyncratic, rockstar-like pharmaceutical CEO tries to keep him under control while a seemingly innocent nurse is dragged into the fray through concern for her dying husband.

Occasionally the actors will return to their trench coat and newspaper dance routine, ably managing to convey public opinion in this strange medium and bringing novel choreographic style to the play.

The story is entertaining throughout and showcases some brilliant, fun characters while keeping a firm but careful handle on its darker side. The sheer pace that the play bounds along at makesit a little hard to keep up with at times, but its sense of energy is infectious.

This being the case, its sudden and almost anticlimactic ending is slightly disappointing, yet barely puts a dent in the armour of this exceptional show.