THE MUMMY'S TOMB To 22 November.
Hornchurch.
THE MUMMY’S TOMB
by Ken Hill songs by Alan Klein and Ken Hill.
Queen’s Theatre To 22 November 2008.
Tue-Sat 8pm Mat 13, 22 Nov 2.30pm.
Audio-described 22 Nov 2.30pm.
BSL Signed 19 Nov.
Captioned 22 Nov 2.30pm.
Runs 2hr 25min One interval.
TICKETS: 01708 443333.
www.queens-theatre.co.uk
Review: Timothy Ramsden 8 November.
A show best left buried.
No-one’s expecting Ibsen, or Chekhov. Nor wanting them, really, in a show like this. What’s called for is sublime silliness. Alas, all the Queen’s revival of Ken Hill’s spoof with undistinguished songs provides is stodgy silliness. After a prologue in an ancient Egypt of Hollywood-like conviction, where jealousy truly is immortal, the action switches to early 20th century London, whence Egyptology Professor Niven, his daughter, her lover and an upper-crust cad set out to explore the implications of an inscription that’s just come their way.
Through the caverns of the appropriate tomb they pursue each other, while being chased and captured by the immortal, if not ever-youthful Ancients. Rodney Ford’s set assiduously serves its purpose, with a gallery, a couple of trapdoors, sliding doors at the side and ancient monuments, one with glowing red eyes, another a fish-god that fails to burst into a spectacular stream,
That failure is built round one of the script’s better jokes. But for much of the time the piece consists merely of people running around interspersed with some unremarkable effects; a cloaked figure bending behind the set then rising in different form is hardly rocket-science stagecraft. And the falling into, or through, doorways is clumsily done.
More imaginative and original invention is needed nowadays, when derring-do among the natives is better known through parody than in serious form. Over a third of a century ago theatre group Low Moan Spectacular produced a far more imaginative piece in the parody line with their Bullshot Crummond, where one actor played hero and villain, slugging it out with himself, swapping costume as he appeared either side of a knowingly-used screen.
Something like that’s needed – even a mummy tearing its way through the interval foyer - anything beyond this dutiful plod through a decrepit and witless parody. The cast work hard, Paul Leonard as a richly earnest Prof, Oliver Beamish the decent English gentleman to a T, and so on. But they’re flogging a dead camel. Indeed, the momentary eruption of a camel-head, and the joke of a foldaway grand piano are among this show’s few memorable moments.
Chauffeur/Musician: Lindsay Ashworth.
Paul Conway: Oliver Beamish.
Amenhotep IV/Farouk/Rouse: Shaun Hennessy.
1st Palace Guard/Lord Soper: Simon Jessop.
Mahu/Kemal/Anubis: Sam Kordbacheh.
Professor Niven: Paul Leonard.
Selena/Nancy: Michelle Long.
Ensemble/Slave Girl/Musician: Laura Penneycard.
Ashayet/Mrs McGuinness: Claire Storey.
Inmutef/Harry/Egyptian Servant/Taureg: Marcus Webb.
Director: Matt Devitt.
Designer: Rodney Ford.
Lighting: Richard Godin.
Sound: Nik Dudley.
Musical Director: Julian Littman.
Choreographer: Cara Elston.
2008-11-10 00:18:29