15 February 2016

Beyond The Pail

Review by: Paul Towers, 15 February 2016
Beyond The Pail by Henry Dawe
Uppingham Theatre Company production
Upstairs @ The Western, 14th & 15th February 2016

“non-stop puns, groan-inducing jokes and silly songs”

Imagine, if you will, a world where the sun always shines, swearing is forbidden and gentlemen take Sunday lunch with the Bishop and his wife. This is the utopia that Beyond The Pail is set in as two working thespians lunch in the refined (their words, not mine) and civilised surroundings of Leicester’s Hilton Hotel.
As a pianist tinkles on his ivories the two troupers take their restaurant table to await the arrival of the doddery steward to take their orders. Their conversation turns to the various trials and tribulations of their personal and working lives. What follows is an hour and a quarter of non stop puns, groan inducing jokes and silly songs.
With the arrival of the Bishop and his wife they skilfully avoid all the expected smut and coarseness while still maintaining non stop laughter.
Written by one of the main actors, Henry Dawe, this is like a 75 minute episode of I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue and so filled with silly jokes that even if you don’t quite get one (and younger audience members may miss a few references) there will be a dozen more along straight away.
This is huge fun for even the most easily offended. Your maiden aunt will be bursting her girdle and your teenage brother will be laughing into his handkerchief. If you like puns, pottiness and a bonkers plot then Beyond The Pail is definitely for you.
Full details of further shows can be found at http://www.beyond-the-pail.com/
First published on Western Gazette

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