The Simple Life And Death

Stars of TV reality show The Simple Life’s Paris Hilton (Shayshay Konno) and Nicole Richie (Fizz Sinclair) have teamed up again but their reunion show soon turns into a murder scene. The pair planned to interview Jennifer Coolidge, Cheryl Cole and Caitlin Jenner - could one of them be the killer?

Turning the clock back a couple of decades is always a risky choice especially as this was the era just before social media recorded everything that moved. In those dark ages before Facebook, YouTube and what was formerly known as Twitter, Hilton was both very famous (for being a hotel heiress) and just as infamous (for a leaked sex tape) while Richie was mainly known for being Hilton’s BFF and the ward of crooner Lionel. In this razorsharp parody, they are set to reclaim the spotlight with their own chat show when death strikes and the hunt for the killer begins.

It is an enticing premise and Konno already has form when it comes to splicing together concepts. Her productions at the Vaults (The Witches of Oz, Mulan Rouge and Aladdin & The Feast Of Wonders) were well-written drag comedies which challenged with gender norms. This latest show follows a similar path as the guests (all played by Sinclair) are each quizzed to hilarious effect. There are hefty nods to Coolidge’s turn in American Pie as well as the revival of her career in White Lotus (“are the gays in here going to murder me?”), Cheryl Cole swans around in a deep Geordie accent before revealing she has a secret motive for coming on the show while the Jenner interview is as painfully funny as one might expect: when Hilton calls her “Miss Gender”, she snarks back “I’m Ms Jenner; I dropped the D a long while ago”).

Even if, whether for reasons of age, amnesia or good taste, The Simple Life passed you by, there is plenty to enjoy here watching these proto-Kardashians swim through a sea of their own ignorance, pretensions and lack of self-awareness.

The Simple Life & Death continues until 7 December at Pleasance Theatre.