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A funny sit-com which should consider getting off the beaten track to earn more comedic value. Summary
Rating
Good
Somewhere in Yorkshire there’s a beauty salon whose description might sound familiar to many of us: shabby, run by uncouth personnel and yet, regularly attended by the same, loyal clientele. Its owner Amanda (Louise Nicholls) has been at its helm for decades and her increasing lack of enthusiasm is echoed by her three employees. The girls are rowdy, disengaged and not particularly good at their job. Yet despite everything, they are a nice bunch and, most importantly, they know how to sweet-talk their employer in order to be kept on the payroll.
The first to show up in the morning is Michelle (Sophia Simoes), who has just discovered that her boyfriend has been cheating on her again and is heartbroken. Sarah (Martha Johnson) arrives soon after, with her typical lack of responsiveness. Whereas Jo (Tara Worthington) has been on a date the previous night, and turns up late, suffering from a stinking hangover.
The diary for the day is reasonably full and includes the salon’s most loyal customer, 93-year old Mrs Clarke (Maria Ansdell) who’s booked in for her usual bikini wax, for which Michelle has reluctantly been charged with the task. Whilst Amanda makes tea and Jo and Sarah are over the moon for the unexpected visit of a VIP client, in treatment room three Michelle and Mrs Clarke are chatting away, until the latter suddenly stops responding and the beautician soon realises that she’s dead. After some bickering, the co-workers devise a far-fetched plan, which quickly lands them at the Police station, where they get questioned by PC Leach (Fabian Bevan).
Produced by the Newcastle University Theatre Society, Kurl Up and Dye is a lovable sit-com, which provides an hour of fast-paced and vividly delivered entertainment with an unexpected twist. Further character development and veering more often off the beaten track would grant the plot a further step towards a less tame and more mature theatrical comedy. Even so, expect some exhilarating one liners and a healthy dose of regional humour.
Author: Celia Legard
Director: Conor O’Hara
Producers: Yeva Creegan and Lucy Thompson for NUTS Theatre
Box Office: +44 (0)131 226 0000
Booking Link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/kurl-up-and-dye
Booking Until: 10 August 2019
