Tony Homer reviews “Bouncers (Remix)” at the Loft Theatre, Leamington.
Big Night Out
Welcome to The Loft Theatre. Or rather, Welcome to Mr Cinders Nighclub at The Loft Theatre (7.30pm until not too late), dress smart casual (definitely no trainers), no stag parties, no punks (sorry, Mr Rotten), expect loud funky music circa 1991, DJ Mikey D on the turntable encouraging you to have fun and ‘show us your underwear’ in return for a bottle of Asti Spumante.
Expect to get drunk, to have to dodge the piss on the floor of the gents, to be eyed up from across the dance floor, to get a slow dance with anyone who’ll have you at 2pm in the morning, to snog and maybe more. And then when the streets are cleared take a taxi home with your mates and try not to be sick. Expect all this in a northern accent. And expect to be watched and judged and sorted out if necessary by The Bouncers.
Lucky Eric (Mark Roberts) who you better not call a fat bastard, but he has a heart of gold, broken maybe by the ex-missus, he’s seen it all and then some, and a lot of it he wishes he hadn’t. Les (Charlie Longman) who is young and naive and fancies a blue movie to round off a night which is not a good night unless he’s battered someone. Ralph (Paul Curran) who’s got the moves, the experience, the hair. And Judd (Connor Bailey), a proper hard man, who loves his job and is ready to take on being the Boss.
These four take us on a rollercoaster of a ride through a night on the town. From the girls and boys getting their hair done or barbered, to getting dressed and suited and booted, to getting tanked up and ready for a night of fun, fun, fun. John Godber’s classic comedy might have been written for a different generation, but justifiably stands the test of time as a proper period piece of theatre. Do you need to have experienced a Mr Cinders from the 80’s or 90’s to fully appreciate the context and the humour? I think not.
Social media and iPhones and the #MeToo movement may have changed the landscape for all of those embarking on a night out at the club these days, but immerse yourself for an hour and half with these four stewards of the dance floor and you won’t be able to help yourself from laughing out loud.
Special mention to Helen Brady for making the guys look the business. And hats off to Lorna Middleton for conducting the ‘gents’ to the peak of performance.
-Tony Homer
Bouncers runs until Saturday 11th May – tickets available here.
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