REVIEW
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
Verbal Diary
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre
Westcliff on Sea, Essex
18th July 2025
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
Verbal Diary
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre
Westcliff on Sea, Essex
18th July 2025
After a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Tom Johnson, alongside his trusty band of musicians and fellow actors, has toured this brand new version of Verbal Diary around the UK and they have now performed their penultimate show at the Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff last night. They are at Camden tonight - check out www.verbaldiaryshow.co.uk for tickets.
This particular tour stop off was a sell out, perhaps aided by the fact that the Johnson is a local lad, best known for his stand up talents on the Southend comedy circuit and, it would seem, a dab hand at recruiting equally talented performers to join him on his quest to revive this eighties play, originally produced by comedy genius and Young Ones legend, Rik Mayall and written by Paul Bradley (Nigel in Eastenders, Holby, Young Ones) and John Otway who, I’m not gonna lie, I wasn’t familiar with until I discovered that he is in fact infamous for being ‘Rock and Roll’s Greatest Failure’ - a self confessed title and one that encouraged him to attempt to find success elsewhere, like on the stage. Those of you of a certain age may remember the R Whites Secret Lemonade Drinker ad back in the day - yep, that’s Otway. He's still a big enough deal to have a fan club and six of them were in the Dixon Studio audience last night to hear his songs.
It was when Johnson and Otway were performing together back in 2023, that the idea to create a brand new version of Verbal Diary was discussed and a whole new revival of the irreverent and anarchic comedy-musical was subsequently penned by Johnson. The songs in the show have also been written by Johnson and Otway and the band - Charlie Skelton on fiddle, Scutty Lee on guitar and Hannah Whitbourne on cello - are in situ alongside the players of the piece, which is a nice touch and great opportunity for Scutty Lee to not only show off his guitar playing skills, but also to steal a few comedic lines of his own.
The play revolves around Gordon (Tom Johnson), a bit of a hapless loner, who decides to take charge of his life after his old one falls apart. He decides to make two New Year's resolutions; 1) to keep a diary and 2) get the girl, who turns out to be his new medical student flatmate, Cheryl. However, Cheryl (Georgie Harriet-King), along with the other two flatmates, Phil (Alex J Carter) and Tristram (James Little), have other ideas. Unbeknownst to Gordon, his new flatmates start to read his diary and anticipate his every move with hilarious consequences.
In this hour and fifteen minute One Act play we see poor Gordon attempting to woo Cheryl, at the same time attempting to impress his unhinged boss Eric (Carter) with his photography skills, whilst also trying to build a friendship with Phil and Tristram. It's hectic.
While the script may have changed slightly, the set has not and it is a genius piece of artwork and staging rolled into one. A seven foot diary with pages that turn out to become Gordon’s bedroom, Cheryl’s room, a bar, an office, a bathroom and a garden works fascinatingly well. Again local Southend talent has been garnered in the form of Dave Taylor’s building skills and the brilliant artwork of local artist John Bulley, aided by Ash Whiting.
From the very start of this play you get a sense of what you’re going to get with this production. It’s silly, whacky, loud and fun and the minute Johnson opens his mouth you can tell he’s been channelling his inner ‘Rick from the Young Ones’ persona, complete with some of that pelvic thrusty-ness reminiscent of that role and the awkwardness of trying to be cool in front of the girl he longs for. Johnson makes Gordon far more endearing which makes him a much more likeable character.
This has been well put together by director, Sara Thompson, and the characters are all brilliantly played, with at times some frenetic costume changes, especially with Alex J Carter taking on the dual roles of ‘geezer’ Phil as well as slightly bonkers journalist, Eric, Gordon’s boss.
James Little as Tristram, the singer/poet, has some great moments and Georgie Harriet-King is a delight to watch as well as having a beautiful singing voice too.
Johnson is the glue that holds the show together though, and his energy holds an infectious appeal that reaches the audience who are totally willing Gordon on to get the girl.
There are lots of genuine laugh out loud moments delivered with exhaustive energy and you can’t help but make comparisons to the humour of Bottom and The Young Ones; however, there’s are also nods to a Pythonesque style of slightly surreal funny and delivery is always spot on. The wit is quick and quirky with a bit of slapstick thrown in for good measure - the beer glass gag is just classic ‘old school’ brilliance - and combined with some subtle pathos endearing you to underdog Gordon and his seemingly hopeless plight to win the girl, you really can’t fail to have your cockles warmed.
Do I see a brand new sit-com in the making?
Review: Kim Tobin
This particular tour stop off was a sell out, perhaps aided by the fact that the Johnson is a local lad, best known for his stand up talents on the Southend comedy circuit and, it would seem, a dab hand at recruiting equally talented performers to join him on his quest to revive this eighties play, originally produced by comedy genius and Young Ones legend, Rik Mayall and written by Paul Bradley (Nigel in Eastenders, Holby, Young Ones) and John Otway who, I’m not gonna lie, I wasn’t familiar with until I discovered that he is in fact infamous for being ‘Rock and Roll’s Greatest Failure’ - a self confessed title and one that encouraged him to attempt to find success elsewhere, like on the stage. Those of you of a certain age may remember the R Whites Secret Lemonade Drinker ad back in the day - yep, that’s Otway. He's still a big enough deal to have a fan club and six of them were in the Dixon Studio audience last night to hear his songs.
It was when Johnson and Otway were performing together back in 2023, that the idea to create a brand new version of Verbal Diary was discussed and a whole new revival of the irreverent and anarchic comedy-musical was subsequently penned by Johnson. The songs in the show have also been written by Johnson and Otway and the band - Charlie Skelton on fiddle, Scutty Lee on guitar and Hannah Whitbourne on cello - are in situ alongside the players of the piece, which is a nice touch and great opportunity for Scutty Lee to not only show off his guitar playing skills, but also to steal a few comedic lines of his own.
The play revolves around Gordon (Tom Johnson), a bit of a hapless loner, who decides to take charge of his life after his old one falls apart. He decides to make two New Year's resolutions; 1) to keep a diary and 2) get the girl, who turns out to be his new medical student flatmate, Cheryl. However, Cheryl (Georgie Harriet-King), along with the other two flatmates, Phil (Alex J Carter) and Tristram (James Little), have other ideas. Unbeknownst to Gordon, his new flatmates start to read his diary and anticipate his every move with hilarious consequences.
In this hour and fifteen minute One Act play we see poor Gordon attempting to woo Cheryl, at the same time attempting to impress his unhinged boss Eric (Carter) with his photography skills, whilst also trying to build a friendship with Phil and Tristram. It's hectic.
While the script may have changed slightly, the set has not and it is a genius piece of artwork and staging rolled into one. A seven foot diary with pages that turn out to become Gordon’s bedroom, Cheryl’s room, a bar, an office, a bathroom and a garden works fascinatingly well. Again local Southend talent has been garnered in the form of Dave Taylor’s building skills and the brilliant artwork of local artist John Bulley, aided by Ash Whiting.
From the very start of this play you get a sense of what you’re going to get with this production. It’s silly, whacky, loud and fun and the minute Johnson opens his mouth you can tell he’s been channelling his inner ‘Rick from the Young Ones’ persona, complete with some of that pelvic thrusty-ness reminiscent of that role and the awkwardness of trying to be cool in front of the girl he longs for. Johnson makes Gordon far more endearing which makes him a much more likeable character.
This has been well put together by director, Sara Thompson, and the characters are all brilliantly played, with at times some frenetic costume changes, especially with Alex J Carter taking on the dual roles of ‘geezer’ Phil as well as slightly bonkers journalist, Eric, Gordon’s boss.
James Little as Tristram, the singer/poet, has some great moments and Georgie Harriet-King is a delight to watch as well as having a beautiful singing voice too.
Johnson is the glue that holds the show together though, and his energy holds an infectious appeal that reaches the audience who are totally willing Gordon on to get the girl.
There are lots of genuine laugh out loud moments delivered with exhaustive energy and you can’t help but make comparisons to the humour of Bottom and The Young Ones; however, there’s are also nods to a Pythonesque style of slightly surreal funny and delivery is always spot on. The wit is quick and quirky with a bit of slapstick thrown in for good measure - the beer glass gag is just classic ‘old school’ brilliance - and combined with some subtle pathos endearing you to underdog Gordon and his seemingly hopeless plight to win the girl, you really can’t fail to have your cockles warmed.
Do I see a brand new sit-com in the making?
Review: Kim Tobin