MARTHA, JOSIE AND THE CHINESE ELVIS To 11 July.
Oldham.
MARTHA, JOSIE AND THE CHINESE ELVIS
by Charlotte Jones.
Coliseum Theatre To 11 July 2009.
Tue-Sat 7.30pm Mat 27 June, 1 July, 11 July 2.30pm.
Audio Described: Wed 1 July.
BSL Signed: Wed 1 July.
Runs 2hr 25min One interval.
TICKETS: 0161 624 2829.
www.coliseum.org.uk
Review: Stoon 24 June 2009.
Gourmet serving of Whinestone Wok n Woll .
Ten years after its award-winning Bolton premiere, Charlotte Jones’ tale of dysfunctional merriment shifts 20 miles East in Kevin Shaw’s excellent revival.
The dialogue’s a refreshingly spiky cocktail of plain speak; earthy, well observed and witty. With so much refined eccentricity on display there’s a danger it might become uninvolving voyeurism, akin to reality TV. It doesn’t, thanks to the cast of six tackling their roles with such conviction as to make them endearing regardless of insecurities, fears and assorted screw-ups.
Josie Bottling (Sarah Parks) is celebrating her 50th birthday, or rather lamenting the landmark – she’s grown tired of her home-based profession (the world’s oldest) whilst single-handedly raising twenty-something daughter Brenda-Marie.
Brenda-Marie has learning difficulties, yet it’s her thought processes rather than speed of thought which are affected and Catherine Kinsella gives a wonderfully turbocharged performance. Her literal interpretations of what she hears lend her real charm.
Martha doesn’t do charm. She’s the family’s deeply religious Irish cleaner. Cleanliness may be next to Godliness but her dust OCD would concern even the Lord. Permanently on edge, she reacts superbly to Brenda-Marie’s calculated goading – it’s a great physical performance too from Becky Hindley; ridicule her we may but we long for her return.
Lionel, Josie’s longstanding client, has secretly arranged a party for her - much to her disdain. He’s even organised a mystery guest - a rookie Chinese Elvis impersonator (Nicholas Goh). Loveable Lionel’s impossible to dislike, dispensing charm and cocktails in ever-increasing measures, perfectly cajoling a nervous Elvis. No party’s complete without an unwelcome gatecrasher. Louise (Clara Dancy) duly obliges with a hint of playful minx, claws initially retracted.
Young Elvis is dramatically lightweight in comparison, yet his youthful simplicity appears positively spiritual in such company and is a credible conduit through which the others find eventual Zen in a heart-warming finale.
Richard Foxton’s permanent one room staging, its repeated opening/closing doors, along with wonderful costume changes, may hint at Noises Off, but this is much more than standard farce. Josie’s daily dilemma over her work and need to provide for Brenda-Marie are apparent in the best production of the Coliseum’s patchy 2008/09 season.
Louise: Clara Darcy.
Timothy Wong : Nicholas Goh.
Martha: Becky Hindley.
Brenda-Marie : Catherine Kinsella.
Josie: Sarah Parks.
Lionel: Michael Strobel.
Director: Kevin Shaw.
Designer: Richard Foxton.
Lighting: Thomas Weir.
Sound: Lorna Munden.
Musical Director: Howard Gray.
Choreography: Beverley Edmunds.
2009-06-29 01:07:17