Comedy About Spies

Mischief Comedy - Adelphi Theatre

Mischief are the legends of comedy, and 'Comedy About Spies' is the most exhilarating, uplifting and hilarious show you will see in 2026. This show deserves more recognition!

Round two of this show, and it gets better every time. If you are interested in what we thought last year, CLICK HERE

The five-star rating of this show has not changed; it is a divine and exquisite piece of comedy theatre by Mischief and sensational direction by Matt Dicarlo. It's the cherry on top of the cake that we have a good handful of original Mischief stars and new incredible faces. Everyone and their nan must watch this show, and you must all make it your mission to take everyone you know to see this show.

This is the best example of a show where all elements work in perfect tandem and clearly love what they do. Each area of this show is so well crafted and thought out, and a treat for every one of the audience's senses. In a society that can feel so heavy and depressing at times, this is the perfect show to put that smile back on your face and remind you that life has so much light in it. There's something in this show for everyone. I promise you. So, let's talk about it, shall we? We begin in MI5 in the 1960s, and the mission is introduced to the audience in a fantastically well-done and hilarious skit. Then, the drama unfolds when the audience is transported to the Piccadilly Hotel, and we find that all the characters are not quite what they seem. Who do you trust? That's for you to decipher. One thing that Mischief Comedy does so well is not to let a joke drop; every opportunity, they are coming up with new ways to refresh or develop a pun, and just when you think it can't get any funnier, believe me, it does. The show is written by Henry Lewis and Henry Shields, and quite frankly, it is a perfect piece of writing, and I can't pick a single fault. On a personal note, my fiancé said it was one of the best shows he's seen.

Nancy Zamit is the most versatile comedy actor, and she brings this infectious joy to the stage as 'Janet Buchanan'. Her wit, quick jokes and the skits just keep on coming. I just have her saying 'SURPRISE' on my head on loop. Her motherly relationship with 'Lance Buchanan', played by Dave Hearn, is the most cringeworthy on-stage relationship that will have you in fits of laughter and maybe even relating to some of the crazy helicopter mother things that she does. Hearn plays this spy who keeps his cool and his face straight until his mother jumps in and ruins it all; his tantrums are brilliant. There is such a beautiful comic dynamic between Bryony Corrigan, who plays soviet spy 'Elena', and Chris Leask, who plays 'Sergei'; this is one of the biggest stand-out relationships and character development. The two have found some really unique personalities and quirks within their characters. Without ruining anything, they do create such an amazing, lovable dynamic, and you look forward to their next scenes. Leask has managed to upgrade his performance in this, making it even funnier this time, and he clearly has such a talent for finding the best comic moments and executing them most animatedly. We seriously could sit here FOREVER analysing each character member. But we must not forget the character who keeps the Piccadilly Hotel ship afloat, 'Albert Tipton ', played by Greg Tannahill; his mannerisms, timing and wit are what keep the story moving along; he keeps the hotel and show ticking along. He deserves not only employee of the month at Piccadilly Hotel, but also for this show! A five-star character arc and performance by Tannahill.

Each design element actually deserves so much more than 5-stars, seriously, if it were possible. The set design by David Farley, the lighting by Johanna Town, the sound by Jon Fiber, and so much more we could name for pages and pages- just read the programme. These elements are crucial to bring this show and the puns to life; the timing has to be to the second, and they manage it perfectly. There is so much craft that has gone into this show, and it shows. It's such a high standard from each aspect. Take the Piccadilly hotel set-up, the four hotel rooms; it's such a grand set design with traps left, right and centre for the comedy to shine. It's crafted not only for its personality, but to execute each comic moment to its highest potential, and if lighting or sound are even half a second out of time, it could ruin the joke. It's perfect; there is not one second that isn't, but let's be real, even if it wasn't someone in the team in any area would find a way to make something funny out of it for the audience.

Mischief Comedy is a growing ship, and each person who is a part of the team, in every area, is clearly extremely good at what they do, and they strive to make that better. The teamwork that goes into each show is something truly inspiring; audiences clearly see this. It's so blatant that every area works so well as a team; it's refreshing. This show, among so many are a pillar in theatre history, and as Mischief Comedy carry on growing, it is such a treat to be able to catch a glimpse of their work, and I know that audiences agree. Whilst the show is such a joy to watch and makes you laugh till your tummy hurts, it's also inspiring, not only the actors, but seriously everything. It's not just theatre lovers who can see that Mischief's work is groundbreaking; it's everyone. May Mischief keep on blowing our minds; 'Comedy About Spies' is a legendary piece of comedy theatre.