The Strange Affair of Paul is a one-man comedy show written and performed by Callum Jones,
“Will he manage to solve the case of what happened to Paul? Will he do so without it driving him to insanity? And will he ever stop speaking in more laboured metaphors than Chris Martin on a Coldplay track?
Find out in The Strange Affair of Paul, a fun and eccentric parody of the film noir genre.”
It heads to the Camden Fringe next month – Callum tells us more about it.
Where: Hen & Chickens Theatre
When: 5-7 Aug
Ticket link: https://camdenfringe.com/events/the-strange-affair-of-paul/
What are you looking forward to the most at Camden Fringe?
I’m excited to be surrounded by lots of interesting and creative people, and I’m looking forward to making a bunch of new contacts.
There are so many great shows that I really want to see! Also, I can’t wait to breathe a big sigh of relief once my three shows are done and I can finally relax.
Tell me about The Strange Affair of Paul. It’s described as “a fun and eccentric parody of the film noir genre” and has some very current pop culture references. What’s it all about?
Like all the best pieces of theatre, The Strange Affair of Paul is where reality TV meets film noir.
It revolves around Paul McNeill, a contestant on the first season of The Traitors Australian, who was cut almost entirely out of the final edit.
This prompted a lot of internet speculation, including some rather crazy theories (everything from him being a criminal to an FBI agent!).
So, I play a film noir detective named Sam Marlowe, who becomes obsessed with solving the mystery of Paul’s limited screen time. If it sounds ridiculous, that’s probably because it is ridiculous!
This is a 40 minute piece at the Hen & Chickens. Why that length and has being in this venue helped with the show’s development?
It’s a one-man show, so keeping it short and sweet seemed like the best idea for both my memory and the audience’s patience (Only joking!).
40-45 mins doesn’t sound like very long, but it is when you’re on stage alone. I manage to pack a lot into that time – pretty much the entire structure of a classic noir film.
I knew from very early on in the show’s development that I wanted the Hen & Chickens as my venue.
I’ve performed sketch shows there before and I’ve watched other Fringe shows at the H&C in previous years, so I’m pretty familiar with the space.
Therefore, throughout this process, I’ve only ever visualized the H&C.
Film noir and detective stories still fascinate people – why do you think that is?
It’s true! The Mouse Trap is still the longest running play, and you can’t move for detective dramas on TV.
I guess it’s because there’s an element of involvement on the part of the audience – in trying to solve the mystery, it’s like they get to play along.
Film noir is an interesting genre – behind all the tropes (the hard-boiled detective characters, the use of shadows, the wise-cracking dialogue, etc.), noir films are all built on very relatable and uniquely human themes such as obsession, power, and redemption.
I think it’s for this reason that they resonate. Also, they both look and sound very cool.
What’s next for you?
I intend to do more with this show – I’m thinking Brighton, Edinburgh or both in 2025. There’s also scope for doing more with the character of Sam Marlowe, the noir detective I play.
I’d quite like to do a podcast (because there aren’t already enough of those!) where he has to solve a different modern-day mystery each week.
I never stop writing and coming up with ideas, and I’m always on the lookout for new opportunities.