James Foster (Otis), Janice Connolly (Bridgette), John Henshaw (Ronnie), and Sally Carman (Paula). Photo by Gerry MurrayReview
Laughter and tears; how often does a piece of writing provoke both at the same time? In Cathy Crabb's tale of two working class Salford couples (neighbours in a run-down block of flats) and their contrasting fortunes, we have something guaranteed to please almost everybody. John Henshaw (from tv's 'Early Doors', 'The Cops', and most recently the Post Office ads) and Janice Connolly (better known on the Manchester comedy scene as her alter-ego ' Mrs Barbara Nice') are Ronnie and Bridgette, who have given their house over to their dying daughter and are now forced to live out her remaining days in somewhere far less salubrious than they're used to. While laid back Ronnie seemingly accepts whatever fate throws at him, Bridgette seethes and rages with unbridled passion. Janice Connolly is the heart of this production, and is perfectly complimented by Henshaw's downtrodden everyman, with both managing to create characters you can love, pity, hate, and completely empathise with. Add to the mix the highly-strung Paula (a wide-eyed, Jane Horrocks style whirlwind of a performance from Sally Carman) and puppy dog-like Otis (James Foster a beguiling mix of wide-eyed innocence and mind-boggling naivety) as the 'chavs' from downstairs, and it's a perfect ensemble. All human emotion is here, and it's a hell of a rollercoaster ride for the audience. Crabb has written some cracking parts, and each actor gets several stand out scenes, with Sally Carman delivering what must be one of the longest pieces of dialogue I've heard in a very long time. An entire scene has her rabbiting on breathlessly about decorating her gaudy, glittery, Santa's Grotto of a flat (complete with cheap-looking 'Egyptian' artifacts she has collected from her job at the Manchester Museum) while Janice Connolly can only sit in silent anguish. There are some fabulous one-liners, and the four characters interact seamlessly. Dawn Allsopp's revolving set almost becomes an extra character, as several scene changes are enhanced by the addition of the famous musical theme from the classic tv series 'Sunday Night At The London Palladium'. Director Noreen Kershaw performs a fine balancing act handling the abundance of laughter and tears, and has created what I can only describe as an instant classic.
Laughter and tears; how often does a piece of writing provoke both at the same time? In Cathy Crabb's tale of two working class Salford couples (neighbours in a run-down block of flats) and their contrasting fortunes, we have something guaranteed to please almost everybody. John Henshaw (from tv's 'Early Doors', 'The Cops', and most recently the Post Office ads) and Janice Connolly (better known on the Manchester comedy scene as her alter-ego ' Mrs Barbara Nice') are Ronnie and Bridgette, who have given their house over to their dying daughter and are now forced to live out her remaining days in somewhere far less salubrious than they're used to. While laid back Ronnie seemingly accepts whatever fate throws at him, Bridgette seethes and rages with unbridled passion. Janice Connolly is the heart of this production, and is perfectly complimented by Henshaw's downtrodden everyman, with both managing to create characters you can love, pity, hate, and completely empathise with. Add to the mix the highly-strung Paula (a wide-eyed, Jane Horrocks style whirlwind of a performance from Sally Carman) and puppy dog-like Otis (James Foster a beguiling mix of wide-eyed innocence and mind-boggling naivety) as the 'chavs' from downstairs, and it's a perfect ensemble. All human emotion is here, and it's a hell of a rollercoaster ride for the audience. Crabb has written some cracking parts, and each actor gets several stand out scenes, with Sally Carman delivering what must be one of the longest pieces of dialogue I've heard in a very long time. An entire scene has her rabbiting on breathlessly about decorating her gaudy, glittery, Santa's Grotto of a flat (complete with cheap-looking 'Egyptian' artifacts she has collected from her job at the Manchester Museum) while Janice Connolly can only sit in silent anguish. There are some fabulous one-liners, and the four characters interact seamlessly. Dawn Allsopp's revolving set almost becomes an extra character, as several scene changes are enhanced by the addition of the famous musical theme from the classic tv series 'Sunday Night At The London Palladium'. Director Noreen Kershaw performs a fine balancing act handling the abundance of laughter and tears, and has created what I can only describe as an instant classic.
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