Lashings of comedy served up in dinnerladies
Riotous comedy comes to The Grove.
THE stage version of the hit BBC comedy series, dinnerladies, opened at The Grove this week and brought a welcome change to the venue's usual diet of tribute acts.
This was a genuine laugh-out-loud show from the old school of situation comedy and courtesy of writer and actor Victoria Wood.
Set in the canteen of a Manchester factory we were introduced to a series of oddballs who man the sandwich maker and tea urn and, in-between, enjoy the camaraderie of each other's company.
The big problem for the cast is the limitations they are given to make the parts their own.
Instead of coming up with a fresh take on Bren, Dolly, Jean, Anita and Twinkle, the game ladies must, instead, imitate the actresses who played the roles on TV.
And, it must be said, they do it very well. Laura Sheppard had Victoria Wood down pat, complete with facial tics and vocal mannerisms, while it was impossible not to look at Liz Bagley and Stella Ross as Dolly and Jean and not think of Thelma Barlow and Anne Reid.
Not having watched the original TV series, which ran from 1998 to 2000, I was mystified why the writer would have poached Bubble from rivals French and Saunders' Ab Fab for the character of Anita but I'm assured that's how she was played.
Only former Corrie star Andrew Dunn was allowed any flexibility – and that's because he appeared in the original and has enjoyed gainful employment ever since in the part of catering manager Tony Martin who has the hots for Bren.
Dunn looked completely at ease as Tony and earned the empathy of the audience as he falteringly attempted to woo his leggings-clad deputy.
The story revolves around six months in the life of the canteen staff with a will-they won't-they storyline about whether Bren will ever get together with Tony.
Trying to stop her is her barking mad and grasping mother Petula (Julie Walters on TV and Walter's doppelgnger Jacqueline Clarke on stage) who looks and lives like a bag lady and spins wild yarns about the rich and famous she meets.
The script was fast paced and the cast's timing superb, giving the audience little time to recover from one gag before tittering at another.
There were two excellent cameos – from canteen customers Jane (ex-Corrie star Sue Devaney) whose awful dress sense and hungover observations were very Su Pollard, and the impatient and frustrated Bob (Peter Brad-Leigh) whose brief but rapier-like quips brought the house down.
It is a great show and the highlight of the season – which makes it even more disappointing that the first night on Tuesday played to a less than half-full house.
What else can the management do?
dinnerladies runs until Saturday. For tickets call the box office 01582 602080 or go online www.grovetheatre.co.uk
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Weather for Leighton Buzzard
Thursday 09 February 2012
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