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Post by alessia on Dec 10, 2022 19:39:11 GMT
I enjoyed this today. All the six actresses were very good and there was a lot of fun in the interactions and situations- who knew there is money to be made from selling essential oils?? It is perhaps a little too long (some scenes are quite drawn out) and it felt like the stage changes/furniture entering and exiting, chairs moved etc, was distracting and interrupting the flow of the play. One of the characters ought to have been given a bit more space at the end, I felt that she sort of disappeared after the big reveal of her motivations. There is also enough seriousness to balance the humour and to keep it interesting. Overall it was entertaining & well acted- with some tweaks, It might have gone from good to great, for me.
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1,830 posts
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Post by Dave B on Dec 11, 2022 19:23:45 GMT
We saw this on Friday night and found it to be warm and funny. The six cast are indeed very good and each gets a strong story for their characters. The script keeps the story well grounded while still allowing for more outlandish moments. 100% agree on entertaining, very glad to have spent a nice evening at Bush Theatre.
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1,485 posts
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Post by Steve on Dec 13, 2022 12:38:28 GMT
I LOVED this! The characters pop, the acting is great, the comedy is funny, and albeit overlong, the drama is effective and the show meaningful. Recommended. Some spoilers follow. . . Characterisation is terrific and the comedic and dramatic situations flow naturally from these characters, which is what makes this so successful a play. The plot involves an Avon type company, that sells "essential oils," that may or may not be actually "essential," particularly since the principal income made by participants seems to be getting a cut of the income of other participants that they have recruited, meaning this company is a bit pyramidy. Consequently, the characters, who all get deeply wrapped up in this company, do come across as naive, but being naive is no crime, and the set-up doesn't come across as unbelievable as there really are suckers born every minute (as a holder of a little bit of crypto, I am one lol). The actors' realisation of these well-drawn characters, is spot on. As the secretly self-hating Paradise recruiter, Alex, Shazia Nicholls summons a single-minded, Lea-Michele-style mania that is both scary and hilarious; Michele Moran is soulful and heartbreaking as a depressed, empty husk of an Irish emigre, Gabriel, so when she excitedly dons angel wings to represent Paradise, you can't help worry for her deeply. The show is graced with two characters that are comedy gold: Carmel Winters, as Gabriel's blunt sister, Baby, gets massive laughs from the endearing innocence of Baby's on-the-nose life observations. Winters delivers some of the best slow burn comic timing I've seen in a while. At the more frantic end of the comic scale is Rakhee Thakrar's Laurie. An old friend of Alex, who bumbles into selling for Paradise, Thakrar is a gangling, blundering, nervous wreck of a character. The sheer loveable gracelessness of the character is SO funny that Thakrar proves to be Winters's comedy equal. The other two characters, who are in a relationship, and are played by Ayoola Smart and Annabel Baldwin, are also completely believable, endearing and alive on stage. If only the pace were slightly faster, this would be a perfect show. But even as it is, it's magical. 4 stars from me.  |
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3,565 posts
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Post by showgirl on Jan 12, 2023 4:33:37 GMT
Later seeing this than others as given the risk of further train strikes and having now had so many bookings wiped out by these, I left it until within the safe 14-day period to book. However, given the rave reviews and that the run continues until 21 January, I'm amazed that there have been no further comments for almost a month since the last.
That said, having been to the matinee yesterday (£12 seat as always or I don't go - another astonishment was how expensive standard tix now are at the Bush) I agree that it was very entertaining and engrossing, a 4-star play/production and well worth the wait and the trip.
As others have noted, all 6 characters are well delineated and credible and though some of the developments were hinted at, the plot wasn't predictable. It was definitely a little too long, with all the protracted scene changes and the painfully drawn-out scenes - and silences in particular - as even though these were doubtless done for effect, for me it was slightly overdone. But I loved all the music and dancing and seeing a play entirely about and performed by women was novel and refreshing. I'd certainly recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it or who was wavering; just as I would be keen to see any or all of the cast again and anything else by the writer, Margaret Percy.
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Jan 25, 2023 15:19:20 GMT
I caught this a week before it finished as was meant to see in previews but due to COVID show related cancellation - I decided to cut my losses and book for the end of the run. There was a show stop but effortlessly done - the stage management were also dressed quite contemporary as they were involved in moving a lot of the set which I really appreciated! We were quite confused audience wise as we thought the stage manager was a part of the cast so it did bring some laughs. All in all; as much as I enjoyed the play and the characters who are all flawed in some way - some could have been cut and I agree with everyone on here with their reviews. 'As the secretly self-hating Paradise recruiter, Alex, Shazia Nicholls summons a single-minded, Lea-Michele-style mania that is both scary and hilarious.' = absolutely SteveRakhee Thakrar as Laurie; I've always really admired her onscreen (Eastenders, Sex Education & The Girl Before) so it was fantastic to see her onstage. Just wish we could have found out what happened to her. Just felt we didn't have a proper ending for Laurie which was frustrating, but possibly intentional. It was my first visit here at the Bush Theatre and found the bar and cafe space area so comfy - if I lived nearer I'd be there all the time. |
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