As readers can probably guess, I love the great British art of pantomime. The colours, the shouting, the good fairy entering in a giant penis costume.
OK, so the last one is a bit odd, but nevertheless appeared in this new example of the all grown up sub-genre of adult pantomime. Tacky, crude, and raunchy as can be, Sinderfella is cheap, in your face, and a good time when sober - but those around me were clearly enjoying themselves more after at least a couple drinks.
The cast, led by London drag standard Bette Rinse, are clearly having fun as the double (and single) entendres fly, dildos are waved, and the Ugly Sisters (Peter Kosta and Simon Gross, the latter also being the author/director) torment both poor Cinders and the audience more savagely than in your standard kiddie fare. To my surprise, though, this production (despite all the drag and the location) was actually LESS gay than Stephen Fry’s Old Vic show last year.
Yes, it looks cheap (it was) and yes, there’s too much music in the second act (7 full songs in 30 minutes) and yes, they do play “Be Our Guest” far, far too often, but Sinderfella is a foul-mouthed hoot nonetheless.
Where: Above the Stag Theatre
When: Until 22 Dec., M/W @ 19:30, Th-Sa @ 21:00, Su @ 16:00
How Much: £12 general seating
Concessions: None
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RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £10.
RZ Other Notes: If you buy a programme you get a free raffle ticket for a gift that made the winning lady smile quite a bit.
Showing posts with label Adult. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adult. Show all posts
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
Saturday, 12 July 2008
REVIEW: "Black Watch"
Folks, let’s be honest for a minute. Does the RZ really need to write a full and proper review for this show? Between it’s Edinburgh, world tour, and now Barbican productions, every critic, blogger, and their dog have written glowing raves (some twice) about Black Watch (whither the Whingers who felt that despite all the pieces being excellent the whole didn’t come together). Adding yet another rave here would seem masturbatory (look at me, I can rave too!) and forced, so he’ll keep this one short:
-Yes, it’s an accurate portrayal of the insanity surrounding active military life.
-Yes, they fucking curse a shitload of times.
-Yes, it’s absolutely brilliant.
-No, it doesn’t matter what the reviews were because the entire run sold out in advance.
-Yes, there is a queue for returns every day.
-No, the Barbican won’t mind if you’re in the first 10 or so people and steal a cafe chair to use.
-Yes, this is actually an entertaining and well made play.
-Yes, it’s really part of BITE, the most pretentious large-scale theatre line-up in London.
And there you have it.
Where: Barbican, Main Stage
When: Until 26 July, M-Sa @ 19:45, Th/Sa @ 14:00
How Much: £25
Concessions: For an altered-stage production at the Barbican? HA!
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RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £25. Believe the hype.
RZ Other Notes: The RZ gives the Barbican a hard time in part because until Black Watch he finds the main stage to be a soulless bunker and has only found about a quarter (now around 40%) of the theatre programme he’d seen to be anything but disappointing or hideous. Much of this is due to his populist leanings in the theatre and the BITE programming staff’s desire to be anything but. The film programming is much more egalitarian, however, and the RZ likes the fact that there’s free wifi and recently discovered that the terrace cafe actually offers decent tea and cake, even if they expect an arm and a leg for it.
-Yes, it’s an accurate portrayal of the insanity surrounding active military life.
-Yes, they fucking curse a shitload of times.
-Yes, it’s absolutely brilliant.
-No, it doesn’t matter what the reviews were because the entire run sold out in advance.
-Yes, there is a queue for returns every day.
-No, the Barbican won’t mind if you’re in the first 10 or so people and steal a cafe chair to use.
-Yes, this is actually an entertaining and well made play.
-Yes, it’s really part of BITE, the most pretentious large-scale theatre line-up in London.
And there you have it.
Where: Barbican, Main Stage
When: Until 26 July, M-Sa @ 19:45, Th/Sa @ 14:00
How Much: £25
Concessions: For an altered-stage production at the Barbican? HA!
-------------------
RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £25. Believe the hype.
RZ Other Notes: The RZ gives the Barbican a hard time in part because until Black Watch he finds the main stage to be a soulless bunker and has only found about a quarter (now around 40%) of the theatre programme he’d seen to be anything but disappointing or hideous. Much of this is due to his populist leanings in the theatre and the BITE programming staff’s desire to be anything but. The film programming is much more egalitarian, however, and the RZ likes the fact that there’s free wifi and recently discovered that the terrace cafe actually offers decent tea and cake, even if they expect an arm and a leg for it.
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