'The Lady Killers'
"It's very good."
Venue: Electric Theatre. Get directions.
Our verdict
Jonathan Constant
When Ian Nichols, director and designer in the brilliant Guildburys company of actors, takes on a stage version by Graham Linehan of The Ladykillers, based on the original Ealing Studios film, the result is an evening of pure entertainment and fun.
It's 1956, and Britain is still recovering from the effects of the war that finished only 11 years ago. Close to the railway lines at King's Cross, London, Mrs Wilberforce lives alone but for her ailing but raucous cockatoo. She's prey to fears of lurking war criminals and regularly meets with her friendly but incredulous local bobby to report her sightings of sinister Nazis in the neighbourhood.
When a suave criminal calling himself Professor Marcus infiltrates her home with his gang on the pretence of rehearsing as an innocent string quartet, a series of hilarious events ensues, turning to dark comedy in the second act.
Jonathan Constant
The Professor's gang comprises four wildly various characters. We enjoyed Major Courtney's (Neil James) nervous ambivalence, the neurotic violence of Luis (Gabi King), Harry's adolescent Teddy-boy bluster (Harriet Powell) and particularly the shambling, rather lovable One Round played with excellent comic timing by (Oli Bruce).
Professor Marcus, the cunning, self-styled genius of crime who heads this motley crew, is played with superb style by Jay Orbaum. Smooth talking, fast thinking — for Mrs Wilberforce (Claire Racklyeft) is gullible but sometimes observant — he steps confidently into the breach to cover every gaffe his incompetent confederates commit as he plans the 'perfect' bank robbery.
Jonathan Constant
There are many moments of surreal farce when, for example, he explains why all four of his accomplices are discovered by Mrs Wilberforce huddled in a small cupboard in the living room.
Assuming the guise of a professor of music, he presents the bogus string quartet to Mrs Wilberforce's friends, 'a swarm of old ladies' whose enthusiasm for 'culture' forces them to admire the 'avant-garde compositions' the gang create on the instruments they can't play.
Orbaum’s performance is an absolute delight as he negotiates one tricky situation after another with perfect aplomb.
I particularly enjoyed the 'old women' who invaded the stage, twittering and flapping their handbags and cardigans for the concert. Laughing out loud, I could understand Louis' fear of old women, which he expresses even when meeting Mrs Wilberforce, who is credulous and hospitable but immovably insistent on 'doing the right thing.'
It's a shame that this production can only run until Saturday 25th March.
You can book online at https://electric.theatre/shows/ladykillers-presented-guildburys-theatre-company/ and go along to enjoy an evening of sheer entertainment.
