Talking About the Fire review – anti-nuclear lecture is a puzzling dud

Royal Court theatre, London
Chris Thorpe’s one-man show is more of a scrappy routine than a meaningful call for disarmament

There are nine nations in the world that possess nuclear weapons, we are told by writer and performer Chris Thorpe. That two of these nations – Russia and Israel – are embroiled in wars should raise the alarm in his call for disarmament. Unfortunately, this one-man show, styled like a standup routine, does not have any dramatic intrigue, intensity or tension.

Thorpe gives us facts, snatches of wobbly song, sweariness, bants, and opaque spoken-word interludes on everything from facial recognition to small boats and “red-faced men asking female politicians if they would press the button”.

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