Double Crossed, a new student-written musical written by Torkington and Harrison, was a hilariously original theatrical experience. Characters that felt as though they had stepped straight from a sit com, paired with suspense and an incredible range of emotive musical performances, I truly enjoyed every moment.
When Langham (Aaron Wafflart) and Morse (Max Fryer), two hot shot detectives from London, are sent to rural Wales to close a seemingly simple case, they are instead confronted with a village full of whacky characters and a mystery that extends much further than even the parameters of the UK. The detective plot alone would have created a successful performance but paired with the intricate character developments, the whole experience became impressively immersive. I even found myself rooting for obnoxious and arrogant Inspector Morse.
The moments of fear and darkness were perfectly balanced against the hugely successful performance from Fryer whose comedic timing was consistently impeccable and had the audience cackling. Meanwhile, the emotional ballads sang by both Cora (Katie Harvey) and Langham (Wafflart) were also highly memorable, with Harvey’s vocal range being particularly impressive. Overall, the energy of the cast really elevated the performance and was palpable as an audience member.
The script was extremely well written with the sketch explaining the acronym ‘RUN’ as a response to criminals being a standout moment. Torkington and Harrison evidently parodied the talks we all undoubtedly received in school surrounding consent and mental health, well known for being entirely unhelpful. However, by revelling in the humour of this scene, we are forced to confront the more sinister undertones that underpin the joke. There is an extent of victim blaming and wrongly placed responsibility on the perpetrated, a highly prevalent issue especially within St Andrews which has recently come under fire for the painfully high levels of sexual assault cases. This is just one example of the high level of detail throughout the performance, which made the show feel so professional.
Overall, Double Crossed really showcased the talent of these individuals, both onstage and behind the scenes. The musical numbers were catchy, lyrically brilliant and complimented perfectly by the live orchestra off stage, whilst the acting was also of very high quality. If I hadn’t been told, I surely would not have guessed this was student-written, so my congratulations to everyone who was involved for giving such a great performance.
