The Boss of It All

Danish master of provocation Lars Von Trier’s first comedy, 2006’s The Boss of It All, is perfect for a theatre adaptation: simple to stage, strongly character-driven, shot through with sardonic meta-commentary on the pretentiousness of actors and the conventions of directing. And it’s funny as hell. Jack McNamara’s clever and stylish take—marking Von Trier’s British theatre debut—will delight both fans of the film and people new to its dark charms.

Kristoffer is an egotistical out-of-work actor, pumped-up on his love for obscure (fictional) playwright Gambini. He’s hired by lawyer Ravn to pretend to be the boss of an IT company as it’s sold to Dane-loathing Icelandic businessman Finnur. But after things go awry at what should be a straightforward contract-signing, Kristoffer has to make this absurd ruse convincing to suspicious senior staff, whom he comes to feel awkward loyalty towards. Especially upon discovering that Ravn—who secretly has been running the company, using the sophisticated fantasy of his supposedly America-based “boss of it all” as a front—intends to sack everyone once his big deal is sealed.

The fiery Finnur from the movie is preferable to this calmer version, but the different nuances and composites in McNamara’s characterisations largely work well, and the performances are strong – Gerry Howell as Kristoffer especially. The retro Scandinavian design aesthetic in the set and costumes lend a certain coolness Von Trier would have never allowed. Effectively casting the audience in the final scene is a brilliantly creative little touch, as the stage is set for Kristoffer’s final hilarious act of Gambinian self-indulgence.