Playwright John Godber first premiered “Bouncers” in 1977 as a contemporary piece. It was still being presented as a contemporary piece in 1991, when this reviewer first saw it as a student. Now, in the current production by the John Godber Company, it is an historical comedy fixed in the 1980s: filled with Margaret Thatcher graffiti, references to condoms that look like “dead Smurfs”, and a thumping 1980's pop soundtrack. This performance was at Shakespeare North Playhouse, Prescot.
Four actors, dressed in black suits, play all the characters, and the combination of “Bouncers” with the wooden Elizabethan inn courtyard interior of Shakespeare North Playhouse actually worked really well: “Bouncers” is the modern descendant of Ben Jonson; and the endless events of drinking, attempts to have sex, fisticuffs, and dancing have not really changed that much over the centuries.
There are four bouncers gathered around a Northern nightclub, four young men out on the lash, four young women dancing around their handbags, a lascivious DJ called Mr Cinders, and various guest appearances by other nightclub patrons and a couple of Swedish porn actors. The only set was two sets of velvet ropes, and a couple of steel beer casks. Graham Kirk’s lighting design, with spotlights, hazes, and speckles, did the rest.
Frazer Hammill was the lead bouncer Lucky Eric. He was the oldest, the most world-weary, the one whose wife and children have deserted him, and who has no joy in life. Hammill’s performance was dramatically solid, and in sharp contrast to his other characters: young Baz, a nifty dancer but with no sense of appropriateness in any situation; Maureen, a cuddly young woman of an undemanding nature; and the female porn star, miming her video scene first slowly in forward motion, and then very quickly in reverse when the tape is messed with – Hammill is a very sharp and clever mover, and the reverse-action porn scene was hilarious.
Tom Whittaker was a scene-stealer as Mr Cinders, all smarmy charm and faux American accent. He writhed sultrily as sexy young woman Susie, was impressively endowed in the mens’ room as Jerry, which carried over to being the male porn star in the video, invented an insulting punk rock song on the spot as a rejected patron, and was a sharp turn on the dance floor as bouncer Ralph.
Nick Figgis had the most interesting of the young women: Elaine, the plain one who was determined not to be overlooked. Her attempts to score with Kev, in a very unpolitically correct way, drew guilty applause from the audience (but are not recommended.) Figgis openly enjoyed himself as the rather weaselly Terry, and the hoarse-voiced bouncer Judd.
George Reid, the tallest and toughest-looking, was Elaine’s unlucky love interest Kev – but he did manage to escape. He sparkled as the vivacious birthday girl Rosie, gurned as the other punk rocker denied entry, and was the most traditionally intimidating of the bouncers as Les.
Choreographer Lynette Linton regularly inserted all four into group dance routines, performed with masculine panache. Director Jane Thornton brought out clear multiple characterisations, and relished John Godber’s colourfully comic language.
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