10:17am Saturday 2nd May 2009
Big Bad Mouse, Victoria Hall ADS, Victoria Hall, Knowsley Street, Bolton Until tonight
THERE is no doubt that a great deal of hard work and effort had gone into this hilarious production.
This is a farce with all the right ingredients — plenty of slapstick, chasing around the stage and cheeky humour.
It is set in the 1970s and every credit must go to the costume and set departments for their attention to detail.
The office setting was as far removed from a modern office as you could imagine. It was great to see typewriters on desks and old fashioned telephones.
Anne Heaton was great fun as Miss Spencer and Martyn Skipper playing Mr Bloome transformed from dopey office worker to macho man in super comic fashion.
Clowning around is all part of the show and Barry Massey, as boss Mr Price-Hargraves, was a great figure of fun.
It is a daft story about a man (Bloome) suspected of chasing a woman on Wandsworth Common. This news turns him from the office wimp to the office hunk, overnight, and all the women working at Chunkibix Limited want to know him.
Director and producer Roy Darby has done a great job in creating a fluid and fun production which, despite a rather slow start, soon warms up.
It is a little bawdy in parts but not too lewd or rude to offend.
Final performance is tonight.
Gayle McBain Tickets priced £5 and £3 Ring 01204 845493
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