Review - The great american trailer park musical

Published on Friday 1 August 2008 21:32

MUSICALS & OPERA ****

C (VENUE 34)

WELCOME to Armadillo Acres, the finest trailer park in the state of Florida. Home to some of the flashiest, trashiest gals on the Fringe and their big-hearted but dumb menfolk. Together they while away the hours in a heat so relentless "you could fry an egg on my ass", until a runaway stripper moves in and throws the trailer park into chaos.

America's fascination with mobile homes and their occupants may not have a UK equivalent, but we've all seen enough TV shows and films to recognise the stereotype. The clothes, the language, the spray-cheese dinners – all are present here, along with sex-starved prison wives and a love of anything performed on ice.

Betty, Lin and Pickles are our amiable hostesses, welcoming us into the eponymous park and their poor but happy lives. Acting like a Greek chorus with perms, they set the scene, build a backstory and take us to a myriad of locations, including the local strip joint.

On the night we arrive in Armadillo Acres, married couple Jeannie and Norbert are on the cusp of their 20th wedding anniversary. He's bought her tickets for a show, but agoraphobic Jeannie ain't been out of the trailer since they got hitched. So taking off her slippers and crossing back over the threshold is a tall order. When stripper Pippi and her sequined bras arrive on the scene, Norbert soon finds himself on the wrong side of temptation.

Performed by a hugely talented cast of comic actors, this former off-Broadway production gives musical theatre a good name. Superb timing, cracking one-liners and powerhouse vocals drive the show along, with anthemic rock songs and ballads wrapping up each scene. A pastiche of daytime TV la Ricki Lake and Jerry Springer is inspired, while their Weather Girls take-off, Storm's-A-Brewin' is nothing short of hilarious.

Roughin' it with the rednecks has never before been so much fun.

Until 25 August. Today 10pm