UK Theatre Network

The Naked Truth

Darlington Civic Theatre

REVIEWED BY IAN CAIN ON BEHALF OF STEVE BURBRIDGE.

I must admit that I am becoming rather accustomed to being one of only a sprinkling of men in the theatre auditorium. Having previously reviewed ‘The Vagina Monologues’, ‘Women On The Verge of HRT’, ‘Menopause: The Musical’, ‘Hot Flush!’ and ‘Mum’s The Word’, I can now add another female oriented show to the list – ‘The Naked Truth’.

Set in a pole dancing class, it tells the stories of six very different women. There’s rough and ready Rita (Claire King), sweet and sympathetic Sarah (Maureen Nolan), big and bubbly Bev (Leanne Jones), tactless Tricia (Julie Buckfield), dippy and ditzy Faith (Alison Young) and gorgeous Gabby (Michelle Heaton), the class instructor.

Each of the women has their own reasons for taking up pole dancing – whether it be to restore confidence in their body, get a guy, keep a guy, lose weight or embark upon a potential new career. However, when one of the women receives some devastating news, the others soon pull together and decide to turn their new skill into a fund raising event.

Director Stephen Leatherland has assembled a rock solid cast, consisting of all the right elements to draw throngs of women into the theatre for an evening of raunchy, risqué and raucous entertainment. There’s a former soap superbitch, an ex-Liberty X pop princess and even a Nolan sister!

The entire cast deliver top notch performances and are equally as good with the scenes of poignancy and pathos as they are with the ones that contain the comedy and capers.

Writer Dave Simpson has succeeded in carving well crafted characters that are not only rounded and three dimensional, but also totally believable, whereas a less talented playwright may have fallen into the trap of regurgitating tired old stereotypes.

The script crackles along at a rip roaring pace with the laughs coming thick and fast. As you might expect, there are plenty of dirty jokes, suggestive comments and double entendres, but they are received in good humour by the audience and are not included with the intention to shock or offend. Indeed, with the obvious exception of the more tender moments, the auditorium rang with the sound of long and hearty laughter.

The entire evening seemed to be one great big girls’ night out and even scene changes were interspersed by diva anthems by the likes of Shania Twain, The Weather Girls, Lisa Stansfield and Gloria Gaynor.

Yet, for all its frothy frivolity, ‘The Naked Truth’ is a production that genuinely has heart and soul. It’s no surprise, then, that it is now enjoying its fifth national tour and still playing to packed houses. Although it is a show that is about women and for women, it is also one that men must see, too.

Indeed, ‘The Naked Truth’ is a show that is even more uplifting than a Playtex bra. Don’t miss it!

Ian Cain.

Runs until Wednesday 29 September 2010.