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Ladies Night
Verdict: Damned good giggle
Touring/Cheltenham - Everyman Theatre - June 03
The theatre's seams are close to bursting as women pile in to catch a glimpse
of the cheeky smash-hit comedy (writes Samantha Darling). Husbands and boyfriends have been locked away. This is definitely a Ladies Night out - though lady-like is not quite the way to describe these flesh-hungry gals.
As the music blares disco tunes of the '80s the audience of rampant women
stirs into a hyperactive frenzy - and the curtain hasn't gone up yet.
Ladies Night kicks off in the Hotspot Nightclub. A group of lads are up to the usual Saturday-night games - booze, fights and tottie-watch.
Craig (Guy Chirney) has suffered a blow to the love weapon, and the lads rally
around to check the injury. Gavin (David Rumelle) chats about the amount of money women pay to go to strip-clubs. The lads are unemployed, and decide to give it a
shot - as the 'Raging Rhinos'.
Sensible and somewhat bitter Graham (Dominik Golding) opts out - it's not his way of making money - a decision he'll come to regret.
It's very similar to The Full Monty' - but the boys have the bodies to, er, pull it off. It's a panorama of muscle and tight butt-cheeks. The character-mix is a combination of The Young Ones and Men Behaving Badly - with added nudity.
Barry (Daniel Baines) is the punk-rock, simple-minded, lovable guy, who has problems with his girlfriend Denise. He also has problems understanding that women don't dig bass guitar. His first strip for club-owner Bernie (James Callum) is a disaster. It's to 'Wild thing'. Barry's anything but - he's barely able to get the guitar off, let alone his kit.
Wesley (Jess Philogene) jumps on-stage in builder's boots, lumberjack shirt and
not much else. His chain-saw dance unnerves - he jumps
around the stage completely out of rhythm. And his choice of soundtrack lets him down - 'Bob the Builder'.
Next up is Gavin (David Rumelle) who appears in toga and straight face. As he
throws his fruit around, his efforts to be sexual quickly deflate.
Out comes Norman (Stuart Morrison) - bless him! The stuttering, geeky
one of the group emerges, strutting his stuff in a Spiderman outfit - minus the backside area. The audience goes wild.
The lads look like a helpless cause. Enter Glenda (Laura Taylor). Here's a powerful lady, with the boys' balls in her hands - her sexual presence makes the boys look even wimpier. It's not long before she has the lads whipped into shape - there's signs of envy from the female audience as Glenda handles the boy's bodies and bends them over for inspection.
In the second half, the theatre becomes the club - the performance the strip-tease. The excitement reaches near-climax as the guys pick ladies from the audience to rub baby-oil (among other things) over.
Gavin (David Rumelle) appears as drag-queen Gloria Winstanton, manager of the Rhinos. He plays her as Dame Edna with the brass balls of Lily Savage - fantastic.
Craig, Barry and Wesley raise the heat with a raunchy shower-dance. Dim lights, Robbie Williams's music and and wet sponges over rippling muscles work their magic.
Ladies Night's leaves the audience hyperactive and ready to hit the town. It's the kind of show you could take an idiosyncratic Granny to. It's cheeky, fun, a little bit naughty - and a damned good giggle.
Cast credits alpha order: Daniel Baines (Barry), James Callum (Bernie),
Guy Chirney (Craig), Dominik Golding (Graham), Stuart Morrison (Norman),
Jess Philogene (Wesley), David Rumelle (Gavin and Gloria), Laura Taylor (Glenda),
Craig Bryce and David Whitfield (Boy in the gym and various parts).
Crew Credits: Director - John Newman, Associate Director - Stuart Morrison, Stage Management - Craig Bryce, Marielle Dawson, David Whitfield. Poster Design - Dave Dennison, Peter Mair - Directa (UK) Ltd. Gloria Winstanton's costumes designed and created by David Rumelle and Julie Sinden. Additional Costumes - Colin Coleman. 'Ladies Night' by Anthony McCarten and Stephen Sinclair.
END
Samantha Darling
reviewed 19 June 03 / Everyman Theatre Cheltenham
(c) Samantha Darling 2003
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2010
www.fringereport.com
