BOUNCERS (UK Tour) October 2012

The Bouncers have finally arrived in Wolverhampton and are ready to face our nightlife. I saw the show in Bradford a little earlier in the tour and I'm going back for another session of hilarious antics with the boys... and girls.

Just as last week's The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice was directed by it's playwright Jim Cartwright, this current production of Bouncers is also directed by it's playwright - John Godber. Bouncers tells the story of three groups - four boys, four girls and four bouncers at the Asylum club. The cast of four, Don Gilet, Ace Bhatti, William Ilkley and Ian Reddington play all the parts. This is a new 'remixed' version of the original that brings the club right up to date with a mix of Cheryl Cole, Rhianna, The Wanted, David Guetta, Stooshe and Nicki Minaj.

The play begins rather dialogue heavy but the characters soon emerge from the text and their comic charisma takes over. Eastender's villain Ace Bhatti in particular makes a very convincing female! The stereotypical characters that everyone recognises are all there and we follow them from the salon that afternoon to the back alleys full of pitta bread and condoms in the early hours of the next morning.

Of course the play isn't all giggles - Ian Reddington as Lucky Eric provides a series of monologues played out throughout the night that strip away that "tough-guy" persona that bouncers have. There isn't much he hasn't seen in his years on the door and Ian Reddington is perfect in switching to a more subtle and reminiscent tone to reveal his fear for the safety of the young girls. All four of the lads are skilled in switching from one character to another and with only minimal use of props and no costume changes it is quite obvious who's on stage.

This is the first time that Bouncers has been performed on such a large scale. The play, written for smaller, intimate venues is more than capable of filling our bigger theatres. The set by Pip Leckenby is very spacious and simple and sits along the perimeter of the stage allowing the actors to fill the empty bit in the middle. Even though there are only four of them, at times the feeling that the space is crammed with other raving teenagers is quite evident. 

Even though this new remix has plenty of modern day references some of the script remains in the 70's and the lack of consistency is at times a little questionable. There's a laugh every 30 seconds (depending on your humour) timed on John Godber's watch. Honestly, I think that at times the humour is a little forced but when it's naturally funny it's hilarious and Bouncers does make an entertaining, enjoyable night out at the theatre. 

You can also read my blog post from when I met up with the Bouncers boys the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford here: http://scottbirdonline.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/bouncers-uk-tour-banter-with-boys.html 

You can see the show at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre until Saturday 6th October and tickets can be booked here: http://grandtheatre.info/WhatsOn_focus.asp?ShowId=626&sC=page10

£5 Standby offer for 16 - 25 year olds is available at the box office, 15 minutes prior to each performance depending on availability.

BOUNCERS (UK Tour): Banter With The Boys

The boys in black began a UK Tour of John Godber's Bouncers last week in York. We met up with them in Bradford ahead of their scheduled door job in Wolverhampton in October.
Is the nightlife of Wolverhampton ready for them? "Come see us and find out" was the answer.

Eastender's villain Ace Bhatti (whose worst nightclub outfit was an Elvis suit) says that quite simply "Bouncers is the show you need to see if theatre isn't your thing. It's not what you expect." Why is that then? "All the characters are played by us, four blokes. Even the women, that's us. There's something about putting on that handbag, the place just erupts every night."

Don Gilet was brought up in Walsall and after training at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts his first theatre job was at our very own Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. Looking forward to playing the theatre  again he said "I can't wait to tame this beast of a play in different cities". Even though the humour may be received differently in other cities the story William Ilkley claims is a timeless piece. "It doesn't change. Nothing changes in the nightclub, only the music and that's just like our play." Godber's play that was first performed in 1977 has been brought right up to date in a 'remix' of the original version. This version features the music of Cheryl Cole, Rhianna, The Wanted, David Guetta, Stooshe and Nicki Minaj. "The play still has the same heart as it did back then, but sometimes the comedy upstaged what the Bouncers were all about" says Ian Reddington who plays Lucky Eric in the show. "This version of the show takes that comedy even further but also allows the characters that time to just act and connect with the audience." This is one of the reasons why the Coronation Street actor had to play the part of Eric. "I had to be Eric. He has the four speeches, those monologues are great. I didn't want to do any other part, I told John [Godber] that. Eric is one of the few characters that really expresses what he feels about what is going on. It's nerve-wracking though, one of the hardest plays I've done and the most energetic." Reddington, who had finished in a UK tour of the Queen musical We Will Rock You earlier in the year said "Bouncers is very different to We Will Rock You, there's no Queen music in this one for a start. I've been lucky enough to be in two Olivier Award winning musicals. Musicals are a completely different discipline and for the variety and experience every actor has got to do a musical, they've got to do a play and they've definitely got to do Bouncers."

If you're still not convinced, why else is this play worth that entry fee? "There's a laugh every thirty seconds and John Godber's timed that on his watch" Ian Reddington recalled. "It's the most fast paced and shortest play you'll sit through" added Don Gilet "it's a complete adrenaline rush for us on stage and for the audience watching. You'll relate to the characters in this thing that is unlike most other plays - a party on stage."

The Bouncers take on the nightlife of Wolverhampton at the Grand Theatre from 2nd - 6th October.
TICKETS: http://www.grandtheatre.info/WhatsOn_focus.asp?ShowId=626&sC=page46
Official Website: http://www.bouncersonstage.com