The Poly, 19th September
With a theatre ambush, correspondents racing across the country to get the best headlines and a heavy dependence on prop and costume changes throughout, can Near-ta pull off this ambitious show?

The theatre's dark, the Haribos are open and the lights come up to reveal a live news studio on the stage. I'm just wondering if the lighting isn't a bit too low when there's shouting and jostling from the back of the theatre. Three armed figures burst in, running down the aisles to jump onstage and take the audience hostage. We soon find out what we're worth: ￡200,000, an MP3 player and a packet of Maltesers.

Amusingly inept, the criminals fight amongst themselves while 24UK continues in the background, mute. Soon the news studio picks up on the hostage situation in Falmouth and sends reporters to cover the news as it continues to break. Cue a complicated, interactive performance that depends absolutely on perfect timing and flawless knowledge of the script.

Action switches from the 24UK newsroom onstage to the the criminals in the theatre, to pre-recorded footage of outside the Poly, presented by 24UK correspondants. The criminals get more than they bargained for as the whole event spirals out of control with 24UK editing, twisting and turning the story to make it more exciting for their newsloving public.

The result is a comedy of power struggles and unchecked ambition that gives a satirical nod to the ridiculousness of channels that place timing over accuracy in order to keep breaking news. With obvious correlations with The Day Today, 24UK teetered on the brink of becoming a Chris Morris tribute, but Near-ta managed to bring just enough of themselves to keep the play fresh and original.

The format was complex and I felt nervous from time to time that there were going to be errors; that I wasn't quite in safe hands – but except for a few minor glitches, Near-ta pulled it off famously. There were excellent performances from the newsroom staff with Ciaran Clarke, Rebecca Rowe and Daniel Richards standing out as particularly talented, charismatic performers, and the energy, resourcefulness and professionalism of the cast as a whole, along with great writing by Clarke and Richards made 24UK a hugely entertaining show to watch. (Chelsey Flood)

Near-ta Theatre website