Creating a successful parody is a fine art. It is vital to get the right balance between humour and authenticity. Side one way and it becomes a spoof, but go the other way and it becomes mere imitation.
Casablanca: The Gin Joint Cut is a successful parody. It serves as homage to one of the greatest films of all time but is also genuinely funny. It achieves this through crisp writing and spirited performances.
Morag Fullarton’s script manages to distill the basics of the story without sacrificing plot or (most of) the key characters. It also manages to be rather informed about the history of the film (except for one forgivable mistake—an urban myth so well known that it is all but accepted as fact).
But the success of the production hinges on its three performances, and here it is hard to find fault. Gavin Mitchell makes a rather impressive Bogart/Rick, and Clare Waugh has great fun as Elsa and Major Strasser, but much of the humour actually lies with Jimmy Chisholm’s rather brilliant performance in multiple supporting roles. The three have great chemistry and manage to bring life to the characters without being a simple mockery.
It certainly isn’t perfect. It begins with a spoof trailer that goes on way too long (three minutes would have sufficed, but it runs much longer than that) and has a subplot involving the casting of a touring production of Singin’ in the Rain that mostly doesn’t work.
Still, the play is great at what it does. It’s very funny yet respectful, making it more of an entertaining love letter than a pale mockery.
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