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Fringe 2011 Reviews (47)
Little Shop Of Homos
Far From Kansas - London Gay Men's Chorus
C Chambers Street
****
Inman may be in his grave but camp retail comedy is by no means dead
as Far From Kansas are here to welcome you into their brand-spanking-new
big gay department store 'Hardy Dicks'.
Captain P Cock and his many mincing shop assistants are giving out
innuendo by the trolley-load. It isn't all old school innuendo Far From
Kansas are way beyond the closeted gay humour of the seventies; there
are modern songs, wonderfully adapted older musical numbers and also
some very touching manlove.
These guys are not afraid to let things get hot and steamy with their
version of 'Hey Big Spender' performed around a straight eighteen-year-old
from the audience. Their choreography seems to get better with each
new musical, next year expect something on par with Billy Elliot.
Muscle Mary the vampy villain was an absolute hoot, think Ursula with
heels, trying to butch up the Hardy Dicks' staff so they'll attract
straight men to the store. Aside from the many over-the-top characters
the little love story, which makes use of a really great mishearing
of one of the original Little Shop Of Horrors numbers, is sweet
and played quite straight.
The only disappointment is if you want to be served by the multi-talented
members of Far From Kansas they only on for a week.
Seth Ewin
A Sentimental Journey - the
story of Doris Day
By Adam Rolston
Produced by The Mill at Sonning
C Chambers Street
*****
This delightful musical is the story of the most prolific actress of
the 1950s and 60s. Doris Day was an effervescent blonde, America's sweetheart,
who could sing and dance and became one of the biggest box office stars
in the world.
Her endearing story is told by a spirited cast, who were a joy to watch.
Sally Hughes plays the exuberant clean-cut Doris who wanted to be a
dancer but, following a car accident at thirteen, had to follow a singing
career instead.
Her marriage to her abusive jealous and psychopathic bully Al Jordan
ended in divorce. She had many more marriages, each ending in disaster.
This personal storyline is charmingly linked by the Doris Day hits
played by a live on stage band. The Deadwood Stage number with
a stagecoach processing through the audience was great fun.
Connor Michael Sheridan was excellent as Day's son who narrated much
of the piece.
Nick Waring, Elizabeth Elvin and Tom Sellwood play all the other parts
in Doris day's world with a touch of savoir-faire.
With some superb choreography (Joseph Pitcher) and assured direction
by Alvin Rakoff this was one Sentimental Journey that the audience were
more than happy to travel. A cracking show.
Robin Strapp
Roll Out The Beryl
Laurielorry Theatre
Hill Street Theatre
***
This show has tremendous potential. It's the story of the wonderful
comic actress Beryl Reid and Elaine Pantling gives the audience some
of the best of Beryl's characters, all created from her shoes whilst
ingeniously cooking a three course meal much to the audience's delight.
There are some charming anecdotes about Beryl's many cats, her phobia
for shopping for clothes, her service with ENSA during the war and her
radio work with Archie Andrews.
There was a warmth and sensitive rapport with the audience as they
become involved in sharing the meal she is preparing. All good fun.
There are some serious moments as she explains her part in The Killing
of Sister George and you couldn't help but be moved when she said,
"I just want to love and be loved, but here I am on my own."
This is a show that deserves a larger audience.
Robin Strapp
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