Trial by Laughter is a comedy play featuring the real life trials and tribulations of 19th century bookseller and pamphleteer William Hone and his partner in crime cartoonist George Cruickshank. The rebellious pair worked together to satire corrupt governments and egotistical royalty.
This original production, written by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman, showcases the tale of Hone as he became an overnight hero for the freedom of the press.
Hone was famously forced to answer charges of blasphemy and seditious libel, which he argued was simply a case of humour. The establishment were outraged at his biting wit and parody, dragging him through three lengthy court trials in a bid to break him, punish him and ultimately silence him. However his unwavering fighting spirit and tactical approach of entertaining the jury was to prevail.
This David vs Goliath tale of a man battling against the overbearing powers of the state, brings many comedy moments and plenty of laughter from the audience while provoking comparisons to modern day media.
The clever staging invites the audience to be part of the court house drama as Hone and his prosecutors play to the jury, and theatre stalls, to win over their approval.
The set design features a creative constructed wooden panelled set which transitions between scenes in a prison cell, court room and a packed public house.
The small, highly entertaining cast also maintain the pace of the story, switching characters and portraying a range of personas. Joseph Prowen plays an energetic and dynamic Hone, delivering large monologues with great comic timing, portraying the struggle of a man determined to gain justice despite risking his family’s future and declining health.
The lengthy court scenes are scripted from original court records and Hone’s own memoirs can become over-powered with dialogue heavy speeches. However the sharp observations and punchlines keep things entertaining.
Jeremy Lloyd plays the pompous and overly sexed Prince Regent character, providing the strongest comedy moments of the night. His self-indulgent and deluded tantrums, demanding Hone be brought to justice, whilst engaging in a 19th century version of 50 Shades of Grey, is one of the highlights of the play.
Writers Ian Hislop and Nick Newman believe this comedy tale is as relevant now in terms of journalistic licence as it was 200 years ago. “The issues raised by Hone in his trials have not gone away- which is why the story of Trial By Laughter is relevant today as it was in 1817. In an age of gagging orders, celebrity injunctions, D-Notices and fake news, the questions Hone raised about our right to hold authority to account are as pertinent as they were 200 years ago.”
Trial by Laughter provides plenty of food for thought combined with enough comedy moments to provide an enjoyable night at the theatre.
Playing at the King’s Theatre until 16th February.