Fritz & Matlock at The Pleasance Theatre

Set in a basement of an inner city Sheffield house, two men try and bury the bodies of their past and find their way to a more hopeful future. With no way out, will Fritz make it to his wedding? Will Matlock get away with murder? Or will the police finally raid the house and shut down the marijuana grow in the attic?

This comedic, modern retelling of a Waiting for Godot style story takes the audience on an intense and yet surreal journey into the unknown.  It delves into philosophical notions of friendship, loyalty, and co-dependence into a surprisingly familiar setting.  There’s a certain ‘Schrödinger’s cat’ element to the performance which culminates in a real twist, something that is hard to pull off with jaded 2021 theatre audiences.  The push and pull of the friendship between Fritz and Matlock provides a constant source of tension and seeing how this dynamic unfolds is the real joy of this performance. The toxicity of male friendships who turn to violence when they can’t express love or admiration really comes to play in this show.

The contrast between humor and dramatic tension is what makes this show worth a watch.  Fritz & Matlock is on at the Pleasance Theatre until the 17th of October, tickets are £15 and can be purchased directly through the Pleasence Theatre website.

Tickets were gifted in exchange for a review, all words and opinions are my own