The Wedding Singer

Review by: Paul Towers, 14 February 2017

The Wedding Singer by Chad Beguelin & Tim Herlihy

A Dan Looney production

Curve 10 – 18 February

“If you liked Legally Blonde then you will love The Wedding Singer

Every now and again I find myself  sat in an audience that is laughing hysterically every few minutes while I sit there stony faced. Have I become so jaded as to have lost my sense of humour, am I missing some obvious hilarity on the stage? Or am I just sitting through a touring production of The Wedding Singer?

It has to be admitted before I start that I hated the film, loathed Adam Sandler and turned off after 20 minutes.

This version of the show is billed as a rom-com. Sadly it is mainly rom with little com.

Fortunately the producers have ditched the original soundtrack and have gone for a whole new playlist. Sadly there are no memorable or hum-able tunes to send you out of the theatre in a good mood.

On the other hand there is a very competent live band in the orchestra pit, the choreography is very much of a West End standard so appealing to tourists and there is good use of Curve’s scenic technology as props slide in and out unaided.

If you liked Legally Blonde then you will love The Wedding Singer. The show is at Curve until Saturday and then on tour

Full details on www.theweddingsingermusical.co.uk

First published on Western Gazette

Sleuth

Review by: Paul Towers, 06 February 2017

Sleuth by Anthony Shaffer

Leicester Drama Society production, directed by Edward Spence

The Little Theatre 6 – 11 February 2017

“duplicity and psychological manipulation”

Sleuth is Anthony Shaffer’s satire on Agatha Christie country house murder mysteries, a psychological thriller laced with black humour.

In the very capable hands of  the cast of Kenton Hall and Jaz Cox, director Edward Spence plays numerous mind games with the audience right up to the interval curtain. Then, suitably lubricated, the audience has the duplicity and psychological manipulation ramped up even higher by Shaffer’s masterpiece of  misdirection.

On a typically versatile set of a country house lounge and mezzanine our cast bounce around as first Hall and then Cox wind each other, and the audience, up with alacrity until none of us knew what was real and what wasn’t.

The first half is crammed full of theatrics and special effects while the second half really twists the knife of suspense.

Both of the cast members are very obviously professionally trained and bring an energy to this amateur production that is palpable from the back of the stalls.

Tickets are still available at www.thelittletheatre.net

First published on Western Gazette

Ceri Dupree

Review by: Paul Towers, 01 February 2017

The Faaabulous Ceri Dupree Show

Written and performed by Ceri Dupree

Curve Studio  1 – 4^th February

“the costumes are more lavish, the patter is even filthier”

Ceri Dupree has been a regular visitor to Leicester for many years, first at the now defunct Stardust Club, then The Haymarket Theatre in Hot Stuff and his solo show and now he is an annual fixture on the Curve programme.

I last saw him in 2008 and I am happy to say that nearly 10 years on, the costumes are more lavish, the patter is even filthier and his singing voice is even better. This is not a show for the easily offended and can be best described as Danny La Rue in Blackpool but much more adult. In fact, a couple of times I did wonder if he had misjudged the material. But the audience seemed well up for it.

The set was a beautifully sparkly concoction of  twinkling pillars and a large screen which, in the first half was a projection screen, while in the second half it was his trademark lightbox so we could watch the character transformations in silhouette. And it is the multiple costume changes which make Ceri’s show so eye catching.

The first half opened with him doing a nice segment of standup before he disappeared behind the screen to change into Shirley Bassey, Gladys Pugh, Dorothy Squires and finally Mary Hopkins. His Bassey, singing an original parody of some of her memorable songs, was one of the strongest impersonations. No surprise really as they both hail from Cardiff. While some of the younger audience members will have had no idea who Dorothy Squires was, those of us that remembered her appreciated the affection mickey-take. The Gladys Pugh was where I thought some of the ‘gags’ veered towards the tasteless.

The second half opened with, once again, a standup segment before launching into an array of  costume changes, some for just a single song, others for larger routines. Zsa Zsa Gabor was swiftly followed by Dame Edna, Joan Rivers (again verging on the tasteless, but then that is Ms Rivers’ USP), Dolly Parton, Lady GaGa (an hilarious OTT costume as befits the chameleon of song), an astonishing looking Cher, Tina Turner (spot on vocals and dancing) and an unbelievable Bjork (the routine and costume are out of this world).

The Ceri Dupree show is on until Saturday but is almost sold out so ring the box office for returns

http://www.curveonline.co.uk/

First published on Western Gazette

Don't Dress For Dinner

Review by: Paul Towers, 23 January 2017

Don’t Dress For Dinner by Marc Camoletti, adapted by Robin Hawdon

Leicester Drama Society Production directed by David Kimmins

The Little Theatre 23-28 January 2017

“a traditional farce of mistaken identities”

Don’t Dress For Dinner is a traditional farce of mistaken identities and multiple door openings involving a couple who are both having affairs and circumstances conspiring to have them all staying in the same house at the same time.

As deceits pile on lies and people pretend to be other people the laughter builds as each twist adds further confusion. As with the best farces people go on and off stage as pratt falls follow spilt drinks until the final denouement when all is resolved.

A tight cast of just six work well together on a nice spacious set of doors, stairs and comfy furniture. Rick Lamoure and Rachel Draper as Bernard and Jaqueline, the straying married couple portray a great sense of duplicity as they attempt to cover up their adultery. The friend Robert, Bernard’s bestie and Jaqueline’s bit on the side, is nicely confused and ever more neurotic as played by Trevor Butlin. As the cook, Suzannne, Marie Di Rito reminds me of  Jane Horrocks as she gradually gets drunk while Emma Bamford as Suzette, Bernard’s paramour, oozes sex appeal as she slinks in the front door. The final cast member is George, Suzanne’s husband, played by Graham Muir. A small part but vital for some final laughs as the play ends.

This is fairly standard LCS fare, well performed, pretty unlikely to upset anyone and leaves you with a warm chuckle to see you home.

I do wonder if, as the play was originally written in French with a European sensibility about infidelity, whether it would have worked even better played with French accents.

Don’t Dress For Dinner is at The Little Theatre until Saturday 28^th January 2017

http://www.thelittletheatre.net/

First published on Western Gazette

Gilbert (no Sullivan)

Review by: Paul Towers, 16 December 2016

Gilbert (no Sullivan) by WS Gilbert adapted by Brian Mitchell & Joseph Nixon

The Foundry Group – David Mountfield & Brian Mitchell

Upstairs @ The Western, 16 & 17 December 2016

“Victorian comic stories”

It is entirely appropriate that my last review for this year and under the old guard at Upstairs at The Western should be for the renowned and very popular Foundry Group. In what has become an annual treat for playgoers at The Western we have had our taste buds tickled by uproarious tales of wrestlers, Henry VIII, magnificent flyers and now dear old Sir William Schwenck Gilbert, the lyricist half of  Gilbert and Sullivan.

I for one didn’t realise that, prior to his musical collaborations with Mr Sullivan, Gilbert was a prodigious writer of  tall tales, comic rants and parodic reviews as a means of making ends meet.

The Foundry Group have maintained their high standard by collating five of his more outrageous tales from the latter half of the 19^th century and adapted them for two actors. These Victorian comic stories were published in the magazines of the day and proved very popular, especially when accompanied by Gilbert’s own illustrations.

In David Mountfield and Brian Mitchell this production has two very able character actors who are very at home with a variety of accents and quick costume changes. Watching these sketches one can clearly see where modern performers like Tommy Cooper, Tony Hancock and Benny Hill got their inspiration from. Accompanied by hilariously bad ‘special effects’ and more awful props than a Play School toy box this is an hilarious evening of fun that you can take even your maiden aunt to.

There are still a few tickets available for Saturday night’s performance and I would urge you to grab one if you can.

Tickets for Saturday at www.upstairsatthewestern.com

Full details of future dates are at www.foundrygroup.co.uk

First published on Western Gazette and London Pub Theatres

The Twits

Review by: Paul Towers, 14 December 2016

The Twits by Roald Dahl, adapted by David Wood

A Curve and Rose Theatre Kingston co-production

Curve – 10 December to 15 January

“a wonderful annual tradition”

In what is becoming a wonderful annual tradition at Curve yet another Roald Dahl story is brought to life in the studio space. This year, after the astounding success last year of The Witches, we have The Twits. This is the tale of two of the horrible-ist, dirtiest, most loathsome people who, not being bothered to work like normal people, decide to exploit a family of monkeys who they have captured deep in the rain forest and trained to perform tricks.

This production is jam packed full of audience participation, circus skills, songs and gross jokes. The perfect Roald Dahl story!

A small cast of seven bounce around the set playing instruments, singing and dancing.

The set, a caravan, starts off as a storage container as the talented cast whip the audience up into a participation frenzy. As soon as the action starts the sides fall away to reveal the cess pit that is The Twits barely habitable home.

The script is adapted by acclaimed children’s author David Wood (who also adapted The Witches) and is perfect holiday fare for children of all ages.

Tickets are available at http://www.curveonline.co.uk/

First published on Western Gazette

Layla's Room

@pubtheatre1 Review by: Paul Towers, 09 November 2016

Layla’s Room by Sabrina Mahfouz

A Theatre Centre production with Shanice Sewell, Alex Stedman and Emma White, directed by Natalie Wilson

Upstairs @ The Western, 09 November 2016

“a beautiful rollercoaster of a teen life.”

In an attempt to get inside the mind of a modern inner city teenage girl author Sabrina Mahfouz trawled through a national survey of a thousand UK teens. The result is Layla’s Room the often exaggerated world of a digital girl growing up in this fast paced, sometimes skewed society of pay gaps, thigh gaps, pop stars, selfies that are Photoshopped and all the angst these produce.

Layla lives with her gay mother, her brother and her mother’s girlfriend in a tower block. The prospect of moving to a ‘normal’ house with just two floors and a garden fills her with dread. As she packs up the last few boxes of her stuff she reflects on the events that lead to this upheaval.

The set, designed by Ele Slade,  is an ambitious geometric wire frame hung with line drawings of the view from the tower block. The floor reflects this Japanese-influenced design and provides an ideal base for the choreographed moves required to move the simple boxes around to make rooms and locations. Credit must also go to sound designer Elena Pena whose unobtrusive background noises easily anchor the various locations and also provide a reinforcement of various plot points.

Shanice Sewell as Layla leads the production as the confused, ambitious but ultimately bullied teen of the title. Alex Stedman plays all the male roles with an assuredness that belies his years and Emma White has her hands full with various female characters that again are a credit to her youth..

Mahfouz’s script is a beautiful rollercoaster of tears, tantrums, comedy and crisis that make up the average teenagers hormonally challenged life.

Layla’s Room is on tour. Full details at http://www.theatre-centre.co.uk/

Trailer

Upstairs at The Western http://upstairsatthewestern.com/

First published on Western Gazette
and on Pub Theatre Blog