Betty Blue Eyes, Novello Theatre
Musical adaptation of A Private Function, rationing era comedy by Alan Bennett starring Maggie Smith and Michael Palin, music by Stiles and Drewe. I never saw the film, but this? this is hysterical. The best way to sum it up was everyone's comments at the interval: 'gloriously, gloriously silly'. Everyone came out of it grinning, there was a standing ovation, muchos laughter and humming of the songs.
It's 1947, rationing in full swing, compounded by a meat inspector who's going round shutting down the butchers for any infractions. The local chiropodist and his social climbing wife discover the town council are raising an illegal pig for a banquet in celebration of the upcoming Royal Wedding of Princess Elizabeth, so they nick it. Cue nuttiness.
This? it's way too much fun. Brilliant performances from the cast (all of whom get to shine, with some hysterical choreography in places) Sarah Lancashire as Joyce decimating all before her, Anne Emery (previously Grandma in Billy Elliot) as Mother Dear stealing as many scenes with her comic timing as was humanly possible, and Neil Ditt (on as understudy for Reece Shearsmith) was a lovely study in careworn steadfastness as the chiropodist. Utterly in stitches, with some wonderfully touching moments as well as complete surrealness from Adrian Scarborough as the inspector. Great songs, really well-done sets, ten piece live band, and an animatronic pig voiced by Kylie (though you'll have to see the play to get this).
We even got a post-show Q&A with Stiles and Drewe and the American adaptors who were the producers/head writers of the US Queer as Folk. (considering the dialogue is a study in Yorkshire, cue audience gaping when this was revealed)
It is fabulous. And, I, er, now have a t-shirt that says 'Royal Wedding Souvenir'. oh, shush.
It's 1947, rationing in full swing, compounded by a meat inspector who's going round shutting down the butchers for any infractions. The local chiropodist and his social climbing wife discover the town council are raising an illegal pig for a banquet in celebration of the upcoming Royal Wedding of Princess Elizabeth, so they nick it. Cue nuttiness.
This? it's way too much fun. Brilliant performances from the cast (all of whom get to shine, with some hysterical choreography in places) Sarah Lancashire as Joyce decimating all before her, Anne Emery (previously Grandma in Billy Elliot) as Mother Dear stealing as many scenes with her comic timing as was humanly possible, and Neil Ditt (on as understudy for Reece Shearsmith) was a lovely study in careworn steadfastness as the chiropodist. Utterly in stitches, with some wonderfully touching moments as well as complete surrealness from Adrian Scarborough as the inspector. Great songs, really well-done sets, ten piece live band, and an animatronic pig voiced by Kylie (though you'll have to see the play to get this).
We even got a post-show Q&A with Stiles and Drewe and the American adaptors who were the producers/head writers of the US Queer as Folk. (considering the dialogue is a study in Yorkshire, cue audience gaping when this was revealed)
It is fabulous. And, I, er, now have a t-shirt that says 'Royal Wedding Souvenir'. oh, shush.