A struggling author, her brother, and his wife get involved in an all-consuming web of lies, in an elaborate scheme to write a ‘tell-all’ memoir about a reclusive A-Lister who shied away from the limelight eighteen years ago. Maybe You Like It’s Whatever Happened to That Guy is an hour of rapid-fire character changes, slick sketch-style comedy, and an underlying exploration of story ownership and male abuses of power.
Maggie Moriarty portrays a composed, uptight, and ambitious Bee who — trying to stay afloat in her writing career — tries to streamline her path to success, through a scheme to pen the memoir of movie star recluse Guy Wesley. Also drawn into the hoax are the bubbly but level-headed Jules (Ellie Jay Cooper) and her husband Drew (Robert Merriam).
With the trio effortlessly flitting between characters through only an accent change or blocking shift, it is a testament to Caleb Barron’s sharp-witted script, and the cast’s punchy comedic timing. The trio embody an array of characters, from stuffy bigwig publishers or chatty party guests, to over-zealous chat show hosts. Switching so frequently however means that the individual development of the central characters feels rushed.
In a particularly memorable sequence, the trio relive Guy’s filmography through a whirlwind of film parodies, poking fun at film clichés with an eclectic use of props including rubber ducks or cardboard horses. The best comedic moments are metatheatrical quips, jabs at creepy Reddit users, or matter-of-fact reflections on the very illegal nature of their scheme. Witty and well-timed sound effects, including a sitcom-esque laughing track, immerse us in this tangled web of deceit.
The ending feels rushed and uneven, with no loose ends being tied; Bee’s sudden development feels unnatural. However, the production does not shy away from delving into weightier themes of story ownership, coercive control, and lingering trauma experienced by grooming victims. While the driving force of Whatever Happened to That Guy is its tightly wound comedy, the exploration of deep-seated patterns of predatory male behaviour and abuses of celebrity power is handled sensitively. The lack of closure leaves us with no easy solutions: which stories are ours to tell?
Whatever Happened to That Guy is running until 31 August (not 19) at Ace Dome at Pleasance Dome. Buy tickets here.
Image by Ali Wright, provided to The Student as press material.
