Little Lark of London

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“Am I an American? Or am I an American’t?”

Walking into the Southwark Playhouse to the Police Cops: The Musical set is like being thrown into an 80s movie about America. Designed by Andrew Exeter, it is a tribute to the time and place the show is set in, giving audience members a sense of the world they are about to enter. The title shines in neon above an American flag, with an arrow that looks incredibly similar to the In-N-Out Burger logo. Indeed, faded logos are found across the background including some American classics like Pepsi, Burger King, and Coke. The speakers are blasting 80s songs, putting you not only in the place but the time of the show. It is a very similar set to what was found in the recent production of this show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, only a bit more permanent. The band is placed on either side of the stage, giving you a sense of the all-around sound that is to come.

Police Cops: The Musical takes the original play of the same name created by Zachary Hunt, Nathan Parkinson and Tom Roe and turns it into a full-length musical. The show revolves around the main character, Jimmy Johnson, who is determined to be the “best damn Police Cop ever” and must join forces with friends old and new to catch the drug-dealing Hernandez. Having seen the 70-minute version at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last month and loved it, I went into the 100-minute version at Southwark Playhouse with high expectations. Luckily, these expectations were not only met – they were exceeded by the brilliant cast and creative team. 

Hunt stars as Jimmy Johnson, a young American who wants to become a Police Cop. After seeing his sister/father (it’s complicated) shot and killed, ironically after a song sung by the duo with the lyrics “If I should unexpectedly die tonight,” Johnson is determined to catch the killer and will stop at nothing until justice is served. He does a fantastic job of playing Johnson as a well-meaning person who just wants to follow his dream. 

Roe is insanity in its finest as Harrison, an ex-cop who joins forces with Johnson in order to catch Hernandez and bring him to justice. Of the five cast members, he is the one most likely to be found improvising, leading to some hilarious moments in which the others have to quickly recover from breaking. Roe also breaks the fourth wall several times, including a recurring gag in which he throws a cigarette at a particular audience member, apologising to them each time. 

Parkinson shines as both the racist Police Cop Chief Molloy and the criminal Hernandez, as well as an incredible final act character that you’ll have to see to believe. He has some great moments of deadpan humour as Hernandez, having to fight against the stupidity of others to show off his evil plans, and more singing and dancing as Molloy, enticing Johnson to become a Police Cop and to “never trust a Mexican.” Parkinson is given the roles of some of the more bizarre minor characters and plays them with ease, garnering laughs for nearly every line out of his mouth.  

Joining the three Police Cop comedians are Melinda Orengo and Natassia Bustamante, two brilliant performers who take on the female roles in the show and are given many opportunities to show off their fantastic vocals and dancing skills. Orengo has one of my favourite songs in the show, in which she belts about there being more to life than her current job, taking care of children at an orphanage in Mexico. This song also includes my favourite gag, which includes a baby on a cord (Trust me, it’s something you have to see for yourself!). Bustamante nearly steals the spotlight away from the Police Cops themselves as Juanita Gonzalez, a self-proclaimed insane woman who used to be the Chief of Police, constantly tumbling around the stage in a frenzy and making hilarious innuendos. 

Of course, no musical would be complete without song and dance, and Police Cops has plenty! Ben Adams provides the music, which, like 80s pop, is incredibly catchy and will  be stuck in your head days after you see the show. Adams also shows off his ability to write slower songs, like the emotional song sung about Harrison’s connection with Johnson. The choreography, done by Matt Cole, is the perfect mix of silly and professional, with dancers like Orengo and Bustamante pirouetting and flipping across the stage and non-dancers like the Police Cops themselves instead being given simple yet clever moves. There’s one particularly hilarious choreographic moment in which two characters in middle school perform an interpretive dance to portray sex, with ribbon dancing and lewd gestures. 

Even though it is a comedy, the show does not hold back in commenting on the political situation surrounding the police, particularly in America, with sarcastic comments like “Americans are obviously responsible gun owners” and judging the idea of saving people by stopping bullets ,not shooting them. Police Cops also tackles racism in its own special way, using audience participation and a song and dance number that will have you crying with laughter (there is a spectacular section of one-man puppet wrestling that genuinely had me in tears). 

Even with a plot, there are still some random bits that find their way into the show, including a mumbling beekeeper insisting that he doesn’t have sex with the bees and a journal full of “raccoon facts.” The jokes come out of nowhere in a bizarre yet perfect way, throwing the audience and keeping things fresh after more jokes about guns and America. Other tropes in action movies are also made fun of throughout, including one about a character whose entire purpose is to slow-clap across the stage. 

There were a few small issues throughout the show, including moments in which the sound of the band overpowered the actors and made it difficult to understand the lyrics, but had no effect on my enjoyment of the show. And when things went wrong, the team was able to work through the errors, usually making laughs out of them and letting them become a part of the show without detracting from the plot. 

Ultimately, Police Cops: The Musical is one of the funniest shows in London, if not the funniest one the city has seen all year. I would highly recommend getting your tickets before it sells out!

Police Cops: The Musical runs at Southwark Playhouse Borough from 8 September to 14 October. Tickets can be booked here.

Photo Credit: Pamela Raith