The Comedy About a Bank Robbery

by Henry Lewis

I'm really looking forward to robbing this bank!
Mischief Theatre's smash-and-grab hit The Comedy About A Bank Robbery is a fast, fabulous comedy caper and the funniest show in the West End!
Summer 1958. Minneapolis City Bank has been entrusted with a priceless diamond. An escaped convict is dead set on pocketing the gem with the help of his screwball sidekick, trickster girlfriend… and the maintenance man. With mistaken identities, love triangles and hidden agendas, even the most reputable can't be trusted. In a town where everyone's a crook, who will end up bagging the jewel?

Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, the creators of the Olivier Award-winning Best New Comedy The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong , The Comedy About A Bank Robbery opened at the Criterion Theatre in London's West End in April 2016.

'The best new comedy to open straight into the West End in decades'
Time Out

'Thrilling and daringly inventive'
The Guardian

Genres: Plays, Crime, Comedy, Humor, Fiction, Drama

112 pages, Paperback

Published October 23, 2017

Reviews

[Ella Catherall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very, very funny. There is a certain point where it’s hard to follow the stage directions as to how it’s been set up from a scenic perspective and the same joke structure is used multiple times which I’m sure works much better when seeing it live but did become a bit lacklustre while reading.

[Xanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

These playwrights lose thousands in royalties doing plays that involve very complex set requirements. Gentlemen, you lost me at Murphy Bed and traversing air ducts. The schlocky humour, better known these days as "dad jokes" is quite an audience pleaser, but the plays are inaccessible for community theatre because of grand requirements. Unfortunate.

[Sari · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very funny play! It reminds me of The Play That Goes Wrong or Noises Off, because it’s very slapstick and physical comedy. It’s about, as the title suggests, an attempted bank robbery, but things definitely don’t go as planned! I’d definitely recommend it!

[Shirley Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the Play that Goes Wrong and this is a fine read with an eye to staging but apart from a nice bit about Freeboys and a few other verbal mix ups of the same nature it began to become too complex - fewer characters would suit me better. Stopped reading on page 71.

[mary ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adored this play! Mischief Theatre can do no wrong!

[Colleen Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

I was ...surprised J j j j j j j j j j j j h j j j j al

[Ray Quirolgico · Rating 4 out of 5]

I missed the usual introduction from the “Director” which left the crazy hijinks feeling like they were off to an abrupt start but the comedy was solid and recovered quickly.

[Isa · Rating 5 out of 5]

As hilarious as ever

[Yourfiendmrjones · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Tis a silly play.

[Christine Muller · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite plays, I am so sad they aren't touring it any longer. Was great fun re-living this show!

[Quinn Costello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too bad this never made a US transfer as it is very funny.

[Castor · Rating 5 out of 5]

OBSESSED. I was laughing out loud the whole way through. Incredible, no notes

[Lisa Brantly · Rating 4 out of 5]

😂

[Alif · Rating 1 out of 5]

didn’t enjoy!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, but not as funny to read as The Play That Goes Wrong.