Let’s be honest, who hasn’t seen a spy movie and wondered what would happen if the principal secret agent went to therapy? Greg Ostrin’s show The Spy Who Went to Rehab explores this idea for great comic effect.
Our super-spy is Simon Cross, a name that Simon can’t actually say without saying his surname first, then his full name – a habit that is a problem when you’re in a therapy session that is strictly first names only. We first meet Cross when he wakes from a mission, having caused rather a lot of mess.
Our not-so-secret agent first believes he’s being held captive by some sinister organisation with a silly acronym, but then a quick call to HQ reveals that he has, in fact, been sent to rehab for six weeks. He is, after all, a gambling addict, alcoholic and sex addict, with severe trauma issues.
Satiar Pourvasei dominates the stage as Cross, combining the charm and superiority we’ve come to expect from a Bond-like character with actual wit and comic timing. Cyndy Fujikawa casts a steely gaze on the proceedings as Stella, the therapist. And the Legendary Mike McShane is Lazarus Rex, Cross’s archenemy with attachment issues. McShane also plays one of the fellow rehab residents, along with two other superb performers.
Of course, even rehab can’t keep a good super-spy down, and Cross finds his own way to sparkle. Wackiness ensues. The comic performances are excellent; this is laugh-out-loud funny, and superbly silly spy-fi action. McShane is particularly memorable in both his roles.
This is a warm parody of the genre; there’s a lot of love for all things Bond and Bond-inspired here, with some careful nods to the lore. It’s also a good look at masculinity, both toxic and otherwise, as well as what role models are meant to be, and what roles models have become.
It’s all handled with humour and charm; this isn’t a lecture on the nature of adulthood and responsibility, it’s a comedy that is essentially about taking accountability for being who you are, even if that happens to be the world’s greatest super-spy. Excellent stuff.
You can book tickets for the Edinburgh Fringe run here, and find out about future productions here.
