Director Eugene Lynch’s take on German playwright David Gieselmann’s workplace comedy starts with its foot to the floor. Curtains fly open and we’re immersed in the cacophony of an office Christmas party from hell.

Despairing deputy manager Holger (Andrew Lindqvist) is having the hardest time of it. Cruelly bullied by an office junior, cuckolded by his own psychiatrist (Tel Benjamin) and nursing an urgent desire to quit his job, he’s now being cornered by the boss, Robert (Mark Langham), who has a no-less urgent desire of his own – to disappear, forever. The full Reginald Perrin.

Before long Robert does indeed vanish, leaving Holger at the mercy of Robert’s feckless son Helmar (Jackson Hurwood), who wants the top job for himself, and a family fighting over a maybe-dead man’s estate.

The Pigeons. Photo © Justin Cueno

Gieselmann’s machine gun dialogue and quick cuts between conversations and locations is a test of timing and control for an ensemble, and at first, Lynch’s team seem to be all over it. But you can only keep the throttle twisted so hard for so long and despite sharply drawn characters, interest in their...