Logic and reason face extinction in Tim Foley's brilliantly absurd new comedy Jurassic, now roaring at London's Soho Theatre until 29 November. This conspiracy-fuelled satire delivers a biting commentary on modern political discourse through the unlikely lens of palaeontology and dinosaur mythology.
A Battle of Wits and Wild Theories
The play centres on an increasingly frantic academic, Jay, portrayed by Alastair Michael, who finds his career in ruins after encountering his new superior. The university's freshly appointed dean, simply named Dean and played by Matt Holt, holds the extraordinary belief that Jurassic Park is documentary fact rather than cinematic fiction.
Why employ an expert in fossilised dinosaurs when the creatures themselves supposedly roam the earth? This delicious premise sets the stage for a boxing match of ideologies, where evidence-based science squares off against wilful ignorance and alternative facts.
Absurdity Meets Political Commentary
From this seemingly ridiculous starting point, the narrative snowballs into something far more sinister. Dean weaponises disinformation to dismantle the university's structure, cutting costs while suppressing intellectual freedom. Eleanor Ferguson's cage-framed set design visually echoes this systematic deconstruction of academic institutions.
Matt Holt delivers an eye-clawingly infuriating performance as the humourless administrator, embodying blind literalism and strategic ignorance with unsettling conviction. When Jay initially questions whether Dean's outrageous claims constitute "a bit," the dean's innocent response—"A bit of what?"—perfectly captures the character's dangerous sincerity.
When Reason Fails, Fight Fire With Fire
The dynamic shifts compellingly when Jay abandons logical argument and begins employing Dean's own tactics against him. Alastair Michael shines as the desperate academic, capturing the transformation of a rational man pushed beyond his limits. His performance makes Jay's descent into chaotic methods both understandable and darkly comic.
Under Piers Black's direction, the production features delicious interludes where the two men physically transform into duelling dinosaurs—screeching, clawing, and circling each other with necks taut and elbows outstretched. These moments of pure physical theatre elevate the comedy while reinforcing the primal nature of their conflict.
A Concept With Bite, Despite Some Limitations
Foley's writing demonstrates that this type of conspiracy thinking isn't limited to any particular subject matter. The core premise would work equally well with any cultural touchstone, though audiences would miss the delightful dinosaur imagery that gives the play its title and unique character.
As the narrative pushes towards its logical extreme, the dramatic tension occasionally stretches thin. There are, after all, only so many ways for two men to shout each other down while menacingly circling a desk. Yet the production never loses its dark comic bite or sharpened claws.
Ultimately, Jurassic stands as both a dotty delight and a searing indictment of contemporary discourse. It captures the frustration of arguing against fabricated realities while celebrating the absurdity that arises when reason abandons the battlefield.
The play continues its run at Soho Theatre, London, until 29 November, offering audiences a thought-provoking and hilarious evening that proves some conflicts truly are prehistoric in their intensity.
