Bouncers Harrogate Theatre
Directed by Hannah Chissick
Choreographed by Nick Winston

Originally - Friday 11 February 2005 until Saturday 5 March 2005
Restaged – Wednesday 25 January 2006 until Saturday 4 February 2006

The Stage Kevin Berry

Les – Andy Brady
Ralph – Grant Burgin
Judd – Pete Dunwell
Lucky Eric – Jonathan Magnanti

Director – Hannah Chissick
Designer – Philip Witcomb
Lighting Designer – Paul Sheard
Choreographer – Nick Winston
Assistant Director – Phil Lowe

This is Bouncers with the Harrogate Theatre touch. John Godber’s classic recreation of a very British night on the town is given the attention normally reserved for a major revival. It gets a choreographic spring clean, all of the music is new and there are some screamingly funny surprises. The surprises going down particularly well with the people, surrounding your reviewer, who have seen Bouncers eight, nine and ten times and indeed with John Godber, sitting just ten seats away.

Harrogate’s artistic director Hannah Chissick insists that her actors take a share of the credit for their suggestions during the rehearsal process. This production is a genuinely full company effort and it shows. Company choreographer Nick Winston gives every scene in the play an appropriate style and shape. Each and every character is given a personal movement identity.

The cast of four is collectively and individually terrific. They might look like human wardrobes or middleweight boxers but are adaptable enough to play a range of characters and types. Their pantomime-style interaction with the audience, which is sometimes menacing, is strangely endearing. Jonathan Magnanti’s playing of Lucky Eric, a man ridden with anger, is impressive.

The surprises? There are re-creations of famous disco groups. When their shift is over the eponymous bouncers settle down to a blue movie expecting lots of “Swedish filth” - what they do get is the sweet innocence of Abba, i.e. themselves as Abba, singing Abba’s greatest hits.