Hyde Little Theatre's Dirty Dusting proves a farcical favourite
Hyde little Theatre’s Studio 9 was successfully transformed to stage only its second-ever performance.
The amateur production of ‘Dirty Dusting’ appropriately slipped into the intimate venue for just four nights with a matinee squeezed in on the Saturday, performing to audiences of around 50 at each showing.
The performance follows HLT’s very first production at Studio 9 last September of Mrs Lowry and Son, which worked excellently in a studio setting and was highly acclaimed.
The two plays couldn’t be any further removed however, ‘Dirty Dusting’ strictly adult-only farcical fare from writers Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood.
The simple and single setting of an office with three desks and chairs in the ‘Dirty Dusting’ offering was certainly ideal for such a venue, meaning the bare minimum of fuss for scene changing.
So it’s entirely up to the characters and a rather raunchy if wordy script to maintain our interest, although there are a couple of entertaining singing interludes to enjoy.
The story follows three cleaners of senior years, Olive (Catherine Connelly), Gladys (Sue Stagg) and Elsie (Stephanie Morris) who are suddenly threatened with redundancy.
Convinced they still have more to offer, a chance wrong number ‘phone call into the office they are cleaning provides them with a new business plan and novel way of polishing up their pensions, that of running their own sex chat line service. Thus, the ‘Telephone Belles’ are born and promptly find themselves on line.
Not all theatre critics have been wholesome fans of this very British comedy, although audiences don’t seem to be complaining, and not only in this country.
Professional productions of the play have toured as far as Australia and New Zealand, as well as popping up around Europe.
For large lumps of the script the (sometimes) toilet humour often punches well below the belt, where the viagra-fuelled puns come thick and fast - just to give you the idea.
Penned in 2003 however, our fast-moving internet age has advanced the sex chat offering to an entirely new level (not that I’m speaking from personal experience of course). But it already gives the play a slightly dated, although nostalgic feel for audience members of a certain age.
The cast clearly enjoyed having a good go at pulling it all off though to give audiences a night (or afternoon) of unashamed, unabashed, laugh-out-loud adult humour.
LAYING DOWN THE EMPLOYMENT LAW: Andrew Connelly as the 'Boss' who pays the ultimate price for his outrageous behaviour.
Sue Stagg as Gladys was challenged with pulling off more than her cleaning bib too as she unwrapped her inner ‘Madonna’ to grace the stage as her alto ego in a suitably risqué number, a move bravely executed.
All three ladies gave heart-warming performances as they share their lives.
Catherine (Olive), the prim and proper Girl Guide leader, was suitably appalled at getting down and dirty on the phone, despite coming up with the idea in the first place.
Stephanie in contrast really delivered while on the line and brilliantly portrayed an Elsie who loves to give all of her customers complete satisfaction, guaranteed thanks to her hushed, husky tones.
While Sue exquisitely depicted a Gladys who overcomes her innocence to discover the woman within, her home sex life apparently totally transformed as a result, with hilarious consequences naturally.
There’s plenty to explore on the topic of ageism here, although little of it is subtle or particularly deep.
Thrown into the washing up mix is the ladies’ boss (Andrew Connelly), who has a tough task of characterising a completely ageist, misogynistic manager, elements of the script drawing gasps of amazement from the audience, let alone disapproval.
Needless to say he is suitably ‘cleansed’ and chastised by the end, and even if you could see the climax coming a mile off, it didn’t stop an appreciative audience enjoying every last drop, last week’s sultry temperatures only adding to the steamy storyline.
Could the cast have milked the script any further? Well, it was all delivered in the best possible taste of course, and director Norma Raif confessed she’d had a lot of fun overseeing her highly accomplished and experienced cast.
Well done to the entire HLT team including Andy Gelsthorpe, Andy Cavanagh, Charlotte Morris, Josie Kirby, Mick Noonan, Steve Hilditch, Karen Abaelu, Stephen Rothwell and Vanessa Rothwell and more whose hard work behind the scenes ensured the play could be staged - and enjoyed.
Studio 9 is home to a wealth of events and classes, as well as one-off entertainment offerings, and you can find out more on the group’s Facebook page.
While HLT will be ‘Stepping Out’ literally at Guide Bridge Theatre next in September in Richard Harris’ award-winning production. However, watch this space as Studio 9 is certain to deliver even more in the future.
Review by Nigel Skinner
