Long term manager of The Hen and Chickens pub theatre in Highbury and Islington, Mark Lyminster, brings his solo show to life with a chilling variety of cafe customers who all share one thing in common, murder.
I Pie With My Little Lie, Something Beginning With Murder is a dark and finely prepared comedy that twists and turns throughout the play.
As the Ballaton Cafè fills up with some if it’s regulars. The waiter has a few tales to tell us about these unassuming patrons, so while taking their seats, and decide what delights the menu has to offer them. The waiter delights in telling the audience about these people’s darker side.
The waiter is hobbling around the cafe as he’s struggling with the condition. “Plantar fasciitis,” which is the inflammation or degeneration of the thick band of tissue on the base of your foot. It’s excruciatingly painful and definitely not ideal in this line of work.
The pain doesn’t affect his memory as he explains several murders that have taken place locally and in the strangest of circumstances. From a quiz team dispute, divine intervention (sort of) and that everso dangerous hobby of book club. The moral of the play perhaps is to never underestimate anyone. This is all the information I am willing to divulge as there’s many spoiler alerts in this play, and I can assure you that you don’t want any of these stories spoilt.
It’s an engaging and superbly delivered solo performance by Mark Lyminster, where with a hat change, accent change, and subtle body language, he plays the role of each of these characters. This draws the audience into the depths of this particular cafe world one customer at a time. And serving up the next unsavoury story.
Plays and performances such as this one are exactly why Fringe Theatre will always have a spot in my heart. You don’t always get the dish you expect to find served up through the performance, but you still leave satisfied and impressed with what you have experienced.
For more information about I Pie With My Little Lie, Something Beginning With Murder and future productions at The Hen and Chickens pub theatre, please use the link below. Also, check out his hilarious supermarket research TikTok account.
Four and a half Stars.
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