Sheila plays the matriarch of a Barking family now residing in a palatial mansion in the Essex countryside, all of which has been born from the fruits of the labor of her errant safety deposit robbing sons!. Barking in Essex come's with huge warning notices “if easily offended please stay away” this comedy is Black & Blue throughout. Imagine a cross between Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party and Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs and you will get some idea of the dark comedy on offer here. The play opens with the word c*** from the mouth of Keely Hawes, complete with Essex twang.. and features heavily throughout.
Sheila Hancock is in blissful comic form as the disreputable old mum, recalling the sexual exploits of her younger days with raunchy relish and Lee Evans is delightfully endearing as her mentally challenged son even when the shooters come out. His aggrieved account of a disastrous appearance on Who Wants to be Millionaire? proves a comic joy. There is strong support, too, from Keely Hawes as his ruthless wife and Karl Johnson as a spectacularly doddery old hit-man. This is certainly not a show that will appeal to everyone, but those who like their comedy black, blue and raucous will have a ball... I laughed out loud lots throughout, it will offend, but still very funny.
Throughout the play are many references to William Shakespeare's English, which is hugely ironic due to the context of the play and that, on my walk to the theatre I passed the newly refurbished statue of the Bard in Leicester Square. The statue is in the centre of the square complete with fountains ...
Had a fun evening filled with, words, humour and British icons.
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