THERE were plenty of laughs, and almost as many thoughtful silences, as a capacity crowd watched Roger Goddard’s new poignant comedy 50 Shades of Beige at the Upstairs Room at Redditch’s Palace Theatre.
The show is centred around a host of wonderful colourful characters residing in the fictional Autumn Leaves Nursing Home and the interactions between them.
But, in what you would expect to be a slowed down setting, there is plenty of fast-paced comedy and quick-witted one-liners and visual gags delivered excellently by a talented cast.
The key to good comedy is interesting and well thought-out characters and 50 Shades of Beige has them in abundance.
There is the formidable – and somewhat bossy – Joy Peters, played excellently by Vanessa Morgan, and the forgetful Norma Burrows portrayed equally well by Joy Williamson.
Kind and considerate nurse Anne Wilson (Anja Parkes) and the clever and relatively sensible Bill Greenwood (Ken Messenger) also held places in the hearts of those watching.
But the audience’s hearts and the show itself was stolen by charming lovable Lothario Tom Holmes – who, played magnificently by David Healing, went on the biggest roller-coaster of a journey. For the majority, Tom was out to have fun and lived for laughter, but it was his small gestures that made the most poignant moments in this thought-provoking comedy.
Because of the setting, the intimate and ‘homely’ Room Upstairs was perfect for this show but it would not have been out of place on a bigger stage and, when you watch it, you feel more people should get a chance to see this excellent production.
The next performances of 50 Shades of Beige take place at 7.45pm tomorrow (Friday), Saturday and Sunday (February 14) at The Palace’s Room Upstairs and between next Saturday and Sunday (February 20 and 31) at Bromsgrove Artrix’s Studio.
Tickets, which are £11 and £10, are available by calling 01527 65203 for The Palace and 01527 577330 for Artrix.
Alternatively, visit www.redditchpalacetheatre.co.uk or www.artrix.co.uk and book tickets online,
