April in Paris at the Theatre Royal Brighton Review
April in Paris
Theatre Royal, Brighton
22-26 July 2014
Reviewed by Meresa Bergin
April in Paris is a raw and honest insight into a couple’s marriage gut bustlingly funny at times but it will leave a mark on your heart for a long time after the curtains are drawn.
Bet and Al have been married for almost 30 years, their children have flown the nest and Al has lost his job resulting in more time at home. This causes a lot of friction between the pair, Bet loves adventure and Al is happy to just go for a pint, they appear to be chalk and cheese which results in some very funny moments in which Bet revels how she has planned Al’s death and they both throw insults at each other.
As the play goes on we find out Bet loves to enter completions and through this wins a night in Paris, Al does not want to go as he may get mugged or capsize on the boat.
Al has a change of heart in the end and decides to go and what follows is a truly heart-warming tale of a couple who are clearly still deeply in love but just need their eyes opened to it.
I loved how they used the understudies as mimes to change the set it really added to the show and made the short breaks very interesting. The stage was very simple but affective I felt and the two actors were outstanding. Having followed Shobna’s career from Dinnerladies I was thrilled to see her live and she did not disappoint I found her very easy to relate to and my husband felt he could relate to Al and commented how much we bicker like the characters, I am not sure how pleased I am about that!
The theatre was alive with noise and laughter all the way through the play, it is clearly a play loved by many and I can see why!
Once again the staff were outstanding in making sure we were comfortable and knew where we were going, they also remembered us from last time we had been which was a nice touch and made us feel very welcomed.
If you haven’t seen it, you must! If you have, then see it again!
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets cost from £11.90 to £32.40 (plus £2.85 transaction fee).
April in Paris is at the Theatre Royal Brighton until 26 July 2014. For more information or to book tickets click here or call the box office on 0844 871 7650.
Theatre Royal. New Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1SD | 0844 871 7650
