Masterclass

Masterclass takes place in a world in which acting is so powerful that it can “put an end to preventable natural disasters and generate enough energy to power all of Kuala Lumpur”.

Protagonist Gareth Davies’ acting goes too far: it literally blows the minds of 137 people, killing them. The play takes place years later, as Davies runs an acting masterclass in his Dream Forge with the physical clone of his sub-conscious that he created (Charlie Garber). It’s low-brow high-concept done to near perfection.

Garber and Davies have the unexplainable magnetism that TV talent contests promise they’re looking for in the opening episode. While the talent contests inevitably collapse into a steamy amorphous blob of lies and market segmentation, our protagonists manage to pull off a Pixar-style tear-jerk ending; because they’ve earned it. Such magnetism is imperative to the success of the performance. A bare set, clad only with a keyboard, chairs and imagination is what the actors have to work with. Their magnetism, then, is manufactured. They’re forcing the audience to focus on the performance, free from distractions or gimmickry. Thankfully, their comedic timing and stage presence are easily enough to sell the existential Pinocchio and Giuseppe-style bromance. The fact that the script is a goldmine of wit and observation is a bonus.