
Reviewed by Kim Bickerdike
I hadn’t heard of Curtains, but when I saw it described as a musical comedy and starring Jason Manford I was excited to head to Blackpool and enjoy an evening of theatre. With over 20 musical numbers and jokes peppered throughout this show I think musical comedy is an accurate description. There were plenty of gags and giggles but this show lacked some stand out laugh out loud moments.
Set in Boston in the 1950’s the show is based in a theatre company which is packed with talentless actors and we follow them as they practice and perform their current production and Wild West version of ‘Robin Hood’. During one performance the leading lady is murdered and this is when the classic ‘whodunit’ parody begins.
Jason Manford plays Lieutenant Frank Cioffi who is tasked with solving this murder. Frank is a huge musical fan and finds himself being distracted and enthralled by watching the actors rehearse as opposed to solving the murder. He puts the theatre company into lockdown until the mystery is solved and this leads to him playing an active role in the rehearsals and even offers advice and stage direction to the actors. Frank also develops a crush on one of the actors who is also a murder suspect and Manford’s performance of this character is definitely a highlight of this show. He belts out a number of songs in his Bostonian accent and has the audience giggling along with his witty quips throughout the show.
Whilst Lieutenant Frank Cioffi is on with solving the murder (or not) the rest of the theatre company are instructed by their Director Samuel Holmes (played by Christopher Belling) and Producer Carmen Bernstein (played by Rebecca Lock) to buckle down and work on their performances as the reviews they have been receiving by theatre critics have been less than complimentary. These two characters are fabulous. Carmen is all about the business and has a no nonsense approach, she also has a number of songs to perform and does so confidently and with gusto. Samuel is over-elaborate and dramatic, often dropping one liners before flouncing off the stage. He is a great character and highpoint of this show.
One of the understudies Bambi Bernet (played by Emma Caffrey) also happens to be the daughter of Carmen and is desperate to secure a role in the show. Bambi is excited when she discovers the leading lady has been murdered as this could be her chance to be offered the role of her dreams. She is a brilliant character and her theatrics and over dramatic nature had the audience laughing throughout. The difficult and strained relationship with her mum is also a great partnership for this show and adds another dimension to both of the characters.
Other stand out performances are those of the two songwriters Aaron Fox (played by Ore Oduba) and Georgia Hendricks (played by Rebecca Lock). As a theatre lover it is fantastic to see a show with stars who we are more familiar with seeing on TV programmes such as Holby City, Hollyoaks and Strictly Come Dancing. Following the murder, Georgia becomes the new leading lady and star of the ill-fated show, her vocals were beautiful and she performed each scene with passion and vigour. Aaron is solemn as Georgia takes on her new role and he soon realises that he has feelings for Georgia. He writes and performs songs about missing her and his performance was so endearing it left a lump in my throat. Without spoiling the plot Georgia and Aaron discover that they don’t want to be apart and miss working together and things soon take a turn for the better.
Overall this is a clever, funny and detailed show with plenty going on including lots of plot twists. It has a long run time and does take a while to get going, I also found the Boston accents hard to understand at times. I really enjoyed the depth and relationships of the characters and the clever switch between rehearsals for their silly and unusual version of Robin Hood and the ongoing murder case. This show would be suitable for theatre lovers who are looking for a night of catchy songs and spoof style sketches.
The cast received a long lasting round of applause with Jason Manford receiving the biggest cheer of the night. Curtains is currently showing at Blackpool Opera House until 7th March 2020.
Rating: 3.5/5
Tickets cost from £15 (booking fees may apply).
Curtains is at the Blackpool Opera House from 3-7 March 2020, for more information or to book tickets visit www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk or call the box office on 0844 856 1111.
Winter Gardens & Opera House Theatre, 97 Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 1HL
