Review – Tits Up

‘Tits Up’ is the gloriously politically incorrect, predictable comedy contribution from the ever popular ‘Acting Out’ LGBT community drama group that continues to power ahead. It is good to see this form of theatre being included in the programme for 2014. There was quite a subdued audience on Monday night and it is essential with a comedy that insists on ‘sending up’ ever possible minority in an ‘un-PC’ way to go with the flow. If you don’t, you will find yourself the subject of the outrageous humour in the next sequence.

The play centres around a mismatched couple, Clive (Howard Lodge) and Susannah (Rachel Fayne) whose marriage survives on putting others down rather than facing their own realities. It is a series of monologues by writer Sean Denyer than annoyingly evolve from the predictable into the ‘you can’t help but laugh’ scenario for the audience – and that’s what you do – laugh at things you probably should not. Clive is an interior designer in serious denial. Susannah is his outrageous spoiled D4 wife who insists on not ‘judging’ people with hilarious rebounds. However ultimately these thin stereotypes prove to be quite open to change and new horizons, even if some precious status symbols get sacrificed along the way. This marriage fumbles along until Magda and Chuck intervene and all hell breaks loose in the previously sublime surrounds of D4 living. The plot is contrived – it has to be. Sometimes the build up to the predictable is agonising as there can be nothing subtle about this comedy. The pace is somewhat laboured and deliberate and the audience does not need that much assistance in throwing itself into a series of one liners designed to offend and amuse. Do not bring your value system to this just join in one of Susannah’s aerobic classes and watch the consequences unravel as two lives go ‘tits up’ is an hour of farce, humour, and fun in a well lit and camp sound-tracked show in the entertaining hands of this community drama group. Runs at 9pm until Thursday.

Festival Review Team

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