ON WRITING BINGO
Achieving the perfect balance of comedy and horror is a task I thought impossible before watching John Landis ’ s 1981 film An American Werewolf in London . All at once , the film manages to sustain sharp wit , an unmatched atmosphere , pathos-infused characters and genuine , visceral horror . It is a film which , 40 years on , continues to shock and delight audiences – and , for me , the catalyst for what became Bingo .
The rest of the cast deserve a huge round of applause for managing to weave together each scene and sprinkle in some great comedic moments that tied the piece together . They created a setting with just themselves and a few chairs which truly immersed you in the narrative , whether a bingo hall full of wacky old folk , or a hospital with a receptionist so annoying that you don ’ t feel bad when she is promptly garrotted in front of you . The attention to detail demonstrated the passion and care taken in the play ’ s creation . A moment that really reflected this was the entire audience ’ s shocked reaction as blood spewed across the stage from a character ’ s chest with absolutely no warning whatsoever . I could barely look away , but when I did , I saw Fenella beaming from the audience , clearly enjoying the bloodshed that she had orchestrated .
The entire experience was carefully curated , with posters appearing around the school in the weeks leading up to it , as well as the programme , both intricately designed by a very dedicated scriptwriter . I ’ m still holding onto mine , confident that its value will appreciate once Charles becomes the new Tarantino ! This was an amazing production that deserves every bit of attention it has garnered since the cast first performed it in early March .
Max Joseph , Lower Sixth
The first draft of Bingo took three months to write . I was keen on injecting all of my influences in some way into the script . The devilish twists of Tales of the Unexpected and Inside No . 9 , the grotesquely comic creations of The League of Gentlemen , and the toe-curlingly human horrors permeating the works of Julia Davis and Alice Lowe – all influenced me greatly .
Bingo is , for its first two-thirds , a jaunty gallows comedy . It was a conscious decision to pivot to a different tone in the final third . It was here that the humour quickly dissipated , unearthing one of the protagonists as a monster of the most depraved kind . The real horror of the play , as distinct from the ludicrously excessive violence of the first two-thirds , revealed itself in the finale .
The success of Bingo was entirely reliant on the outstanding performances of Charlie Bailey and Tabitha Bolter alongside an incredible supporting cast . The charm , rapport and emotional depth which they brought to the stage under the rigorous direction of Fenella Hodges was a dream come true . To be given the opportunity by the school to have Bingo performed in the Sackville Theatre was a tremendous privilege , and an experience I shall forever treasure .
Charles FitzGerald , Lower Sixth
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