A Brief Case Of Crazy

A Brief Case Of Crazy is on a national tour until 20th October 2026

A Brief Case Of Crazy is the brilliant ‘award-winning romantic physical comedy’ appearing at London’s iconic Wilton’s Music Hall before continuing its current national tour, which ends in Chester on 20th October. (See here for tickets)

Written, directed and starring Rowan Armit-Brewster, who is also credited with creating the incredible sound design that accompanies the unfolding ‘silent love story’, (the musical cues being made up of an eclectic mix of contemporary, classical and film soundtrack music), you’d be forgiven for thinking this is primarily a one man show, and whilst Armit-Brewster is undeniably the impressive creative force behind this production, A Brief Case Of Crazy was only ever likely to be as good as its weakest link which, thankfully, there weren’t any. Instead what we got were tightly choreographed dance, movement, mime and puppetry skills being executed throughout by three exceptionally talented performers, Samuel Cunningham and Lennie Longworth completing the triumvirate that together with Armit-Brewster make up the Skedaddle Theatre Company.

The story we watch unfold is that of a slow burning, ‘will they - won’t they’ office romance between the painfully shy Thomas (Armit-Brewster) and the equally timid Daisy, (Lennie Longworth). Time is not on the star-crossed lover’s side however as they have just two weeks to pluck up enough courage to make their mutual attraction known to each other before Daisy’s final day in the office. Complicating matters is the presence of their suave, brash and infinitely more cock-sure boss Simon, (Sam Cunningham) who also has an amorous eye on Daisy… along with a ferocious roar that he (literally) reserves for anyone trying to stand in his way.

This theatre companies rather unconventional stylistic approach to storytelling becomes immediately apparent from the very beginning, when a journey to work by three bowler hat wearing commuters becomes a tightly choreographed, highly comedic dance / mime set-piece performed against the musical backdrop of the equally quirky electronic track (and own personal favourite) Bostich by the band Yello, a typically fitting track given it’s lyrics refer to the monotonous routine of modern life. All three commuters move with incredible pinpoint precision, falling effortlessly in and out of sync (intentionally, I should add), as they mine the situation for every comedic moment they can find. From here on in, a heady cocktail of emotions are injected into the story that, although physically played large, provide an endearing emotional heart that prevents this from being just a technical exercise in performance theatre and, despite how impressive these technical skills might be, it’s ultimately the humour and increasing pathos of the story that keeps the audience emotionally involved, (culminating in a standing ovation on the night I went).

Although referencing silent cinema legends Keaton, Chaplin, as well as Rowan Atkinsons more recent creation, Mr Bean, as ‘physical comedy touchstones’ in the show’s notes, this highly imaginative, slightly surreal, self-contained and totally absorbing world Armit-Brewster has managed to create put me more in mind of the stylistic approach employed by the likes of iconic French film maker and mime artist Jacques Tati, the production’s reliance on precise physical choreography, exaggerated body language, and non-verbal storytelling strongly echoing that of the French master. Granted, Tati was inspired by Keaton, and Rowan Atkinson was inspired by Tati, so the stylistic family tree is undeniable. However, I couldn’t help but think that A Brief Case of Crazy also captures an atmosphere closer to the enchantingly fantastical world of Amélie or Sylvain Chomet’s The Triplets of Belleville rather than the somewhat less magical land of Mr. Bean’s North London. All that being said, we do also get treated to the briefest of nods to the more absurdist cartoon capers typically found in the Looney Tunes cartoons of the 1940s-1950s. Well… why not?!

With Rowan Armit-Brewster skilfully able to bring all of these elements cohesively together, A Brief Case Of Crazy is as compelling as it is entertaining and charming, the emotional heart at the core of the story being amplified by the larger-than-life theatrical traditions of mime, dance and puppetry. That it only runs for sixty minutes is the only criticism I can find in this otherwise flawless show.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A Brief Case Of Crazy is on a national tour until 20th October 2026 Tickets available here

review: Simon J. Webb