The Librarians: A Very Serious Comedy! at Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, delivers a frequently funny hour of workplace comedy, borrowing from classic sitcoms like The Brittas Empire, The Office, and Fawlty Towers. The play, written by Matthew Howell and Jack Michael Stacey, is set in the fictional Plumstanton Library, where staff face a new manager and an inspector simultaneously. The familiarity of the failing workplace is immediate, with acting head librarian Harry Wordsworth even owning a "best boss" mug reminiscent of David Brent.
Familiar Sitcom Tropes Meet Library Chaos
The plot kicks off when Peter, the library's manager for over 25 years, dies in the Agatha Christie section. This death in the aisle becomes both a tragedy and a mystery that the remaining staff stumble through, plagued by dodgy electrics, dwindling visitors, and an apparently inevitable closure. Harry (played by Howell) finds himself in charge, navigating the chaos alongside his quirky colleagues.
Among the staff are Elaine (Billie Hamer), a stickler for rules who reacts to the word "fine" by reaching for her stamping device, and a man known chiefly as Work Experience (Jack Michael Stacey). The new boss (Jo Hartland) arrives from London and is viewed with suspicion as a snob. Alliances form, plans are hatched, and rivalry fills the air, all with a whiff of Mischief Theatre, as the writers met while performing in The Play That Goes Wrong.
Physical Comedy and British Quirks
Amy Milburn's production heightens the calamities, turning simple acts like fetching the inspector (James Watterson) a glass of water into feats of physical comedy. The play unfolds in an awfully British landscape of biscuits, sausage rolls, and references to Mrs Miggins and Lord Lucan. Light political swipes include an accidental new leader installed by misfiring tactical voting, though the play might have offered more bite about the country's rampant library cuts and closures.
The performances are well-tuned, with Howell and Stacey's writing showing a clear understanding of classic sitcom dynamics. The play includes a lovely twist that I didn't predict, adding depth to the familiar format. The production is breezily enjoyable, even if you prefer your comedy to be less easily classified.
Edinburgh Festival Staple
The Librarians runs at Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, until 31 August. It stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of workplace comedies, even as it nods to the real-world challenges facing libraries. The play's setting in a rickety library with a new manager and an inspection looming captures the essence of institutional struggle, wrapped in humor that feels both classic and contemporary.
