THE FAT SHOW by Ken Lee
Venue: Watford Palace 1979
Musical Director: Nigel Hess
Directed by Philip Hedley
Cast
| Commère | Toni Palmer |
| Hermann Goering | Robert Bridges |
| Fatima | Jeannette Ranger |
| Errol Flynn | Michael Maynard |
| Sir Bernard Docker | Fred Bryant |
| King Farouk of Egypt | Laurence Harrington |
| With | Caro Gurney Corrina Sklar |
Review
The Stage
Not precisely a slimming diet,
this latest compilation by Ken Lee, premiered in one of the prettiest
regional playhouses in south-east England - the title refers as much to
life-styles as to girth. We are in a situation huis-clos, though one
doubts on purely theological grounds whether any of the
show's anti-heroes would even gain toehold in Purgatory; Lee is a most
merciful creator, Bernard Docker, Farouk of Egypt, Errol Flynn and
Hermann Goering are the lost souls slung between legend and
loathing and each has an attendant female.
Philip Hedley has directed it all in a matching style of ramble, abetted by a good settings and costumes from Poppy Mitchell, snappy choreography by Geoffrey Ferris and a pleasing firm hand over the musical happenings imposed by Nigel Hess. There is no real plot, though the four characters make considerable attempts to act out their life histories: whenever such biographical material seems to be taking over, then snap on cue comes a song, or a dance, or both at once.
Toni Palmer commeres this far-from-taxing evening as an eternal secretary assigned to Docker: she chats with the audience and jollies us all along into Festival or Britain nostalgia and community singing. Robert Bridges is fat and funny as Goering (I am not sure if that particular person should excite such mirth 40 years on) and Jeannette Ranger slinks, slithers and gyrates fetchingly as Fatima. As Flynn, Michael Maynard manages a good physical resemblance and a nice mixture of daring, dash and self- mockery. Caro Gurney, Corrinna Sklar, Fred Bryant and Laurence Harrington complete the cast.
Philip Hedley has directed it all in a matching style of ramble, abetted by a good settings and costumes from Poppy Mitchell, snappy choreography by Geoffrey Ferris and a pleasing firm hand over the musical happenings imposed by Nigel Hess. There is no real plot, though the four characters make considerable attempts to act out their life histories: whenever such biographical material seems to be taking over, then snap on cue comes a song, or a dance, or both at once.
Toni Palmer commeres this far-from-taxing evening as an eternal secretary assigned to Docker: she chats with the audience and jollies us all along into Festival or Britain nostalgia and community singing. Robert Bridges is fat and funny as Goering (I am not sure if that particular person should excite such mirth 40 years on) and Jeannette Ranger slinks, slithers and gyrates fetchingly as Fatima. As Flynn, Michael Maynard manages a good physical resemblance and a nice mixture of daring, dash and self- mockery. Caro Gurney, Corrinna Sklar, Fred Bryant and Laurence Harrington complete the cast.