UK Theatre Network

Stop Messing About

Darlington Civic Theatre

Perhaps I’m just jaded by General Election fatigue, but as Stop Messing About got underway at Darlington Civic Theatre, I could have sworn that David Cameron, Nigel Farage from UKIP and Jeremy Paxman took to the stage for a game of alpha-male political ping-pong. Jolted back to my senses, I realised that it was by pure coincidence that Charles Armstrong, Robin Sebastian and Nigel Harrison bear uncanny resemblances to the afore-mentioned politicians and interviewer!

That moment of madness having been resolved, I settled back to watch the show. Essentially, Stop Messing About is borne of a simple – or perhaps lazy? – concept. It is a theatre show that recreates the recording of two episodes of the radio sketch show series that starred Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims and Hugh Paddick.

Liz Cooke has designed a set that is authentically evocative of a BBC recording studio, complete with light-up ‘Applause’ signs and lollipop microphones, which goes quite some way to help the nostalgia start to flow.

The cast, led by the brilliantly talented Robin Sebastian as Kenneth Williams, are top-notch throughout and there is a fantastic sense of camaraderie between them. Although, as hard as they work, India Fisher (Joan Sims) and Nigel Harrison (Hugh Paddick) are far outshone by Sebastian’s uncanny impersonation of the legendary Williams. Everything about his performance is perfect – the facial expressions, the mannerisms, and, most importantly, the voice.

The script, penned by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer, is peppered with double entendres and littered with cliché, but that, as well as being all part of the fun, is synonymous with Williams’s trade-mark Carry On style humour. Despite some wonderful one-liners, it is the stuff that generates chuckles rather than belly laughs, though.

Whilst I do acknowledge the many strengths of this production – the performances, direction, set design and script being amongst them – I cannot understand why the producers believe that a piece of entertainment which was intended for the radio audiences of the 1960s would lend itself to theatre audiences in the twenty-first century. Answers on a postcard, please?

Steve Burbridge.

Runs until Saturday 8^th May 2010.

 

From the Creators of Spirit of the Dance

Strictly Tap Dance Fever

 

Let me start by saying this is not strictly tap dance. Whilst it has its core in tap it draws upon many other styles of dance, sometimes bringing tap into them, sometimes not. It covers a range of musical styles including jazz, swing, jive, rock, electro-beat and of course music from the shows.

The dancers were; Lee Meadows, Luke Redford, Jay Hardy, Ross Logan, Oliver Botterill, Gareth Evans, Dan Cooke, for the boys and Rebekah Knight, Helen Stainsby, Debbie Paul, Lucy-Alexa Gilbert, Erin Rogers, Eilidh Heather Ross and Emma Nightingale for the girls. The singers were Lara Denning and Scott Garnham, who danced but didn’t tap. These performers are clearly very talented and Emma Rogers’ choreography was excellent.

The show includes highlights from 42^nd Street, Singing in the Rain, A Chorus Line, Tap Dogs and Stomp. I loved  Scott Garnham’s rendition of Cab Calloway’s 1931 classic Minnie the Moocher, (which also features in The Blues Brothers) and the tribute to Bill Robinson, Mr Bojangles. Lara did an excellent version of Fever and I think they meshed very well for the duets.

The set consisted of two metal staircases placed at 45 degrees, with a bridge between them (with access to this bridge from the wings). Set against a background of midnight blue pierced with tiny star like lights whose colour could be changed to produce the relevant ambience. The props included an island bar and a couple of Italian bistro tables with chairs.

There were several changes of costume from outfits reminiscent of forties bathing belles in shorts and cropped tops through risqué burlesque outfits and sequined show numbers, to modern post apocalyptic grunge. Scott and Lara had even more outfits to support their songs.

This is a high energy show with an uplifting feel good factor. Part of this is because the cast are clearly enjoying themselves, whilst the dancing is obviously tiring there are very few points where they are not smiling and many where they are positively grinning. I would recommend this show to anyone who would like to leave the theatre feeling better than when they went in.  

Strictly Tap Dance Fever plays Milton Keynes Theatre from Tuesday 4^th May to Saturday 8^th May 2010. Milton Keynes Theatre Box Office 0844 871 7652 (bkg fee).

The tour then continues playing Congress Theatre Eastbourne from Monday 10^th May to Tuesday 11^th May and The Opera House Buxton from 12^th May to 13^th May 2010.

www.miltonkeynestheatre.com www.strictlytapdancefever.com

Reviewed by Sue Marks at Milton Keynes Theatre on Tuesday 4^th May 2010.

This superb series from Glasgow's Oran Mor Theatre had another triumph with last week's presentation of Casablanca (The Lunchtime Cut), written and directed by Morag Fullarton. With a cast of 3 (well, 4 if you count an 18" high model Sam on piano), the audience was treated to an hilarious take on the classic film. Gavin Mitchell was superb in the Bogey role as Rick (inter alia), Jimmy Chisholm switched (almost) seamlessly and with great comic effect between Louis, Ugarte and Victor Laszlo, and Clare Waugh was an inspired Ilsa and brilliant Major Strasse. Collectively playing about a dozen parts, the cast still found time for asides to the audience and the occasional ad lib. Highlight of the show was, inevitably, the 'La Marseillaise' moment, with the Glaswegian spectators seemingly endeavouring to bring down the Third Reich by themselves.
Great script, great cast, great fun!