Theatre Review: Birds of a Feather - Theatre Royal, Glasgow ✭✭✭✭
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
STARRING PAULINE QUIRKE, LINDA ROBSON AND LESLEY JOSEPH
Review by Siobhan Brennan
The much loved TV show Birds of a Feather ended after 9
successful seasons in 1998. Fast forward 14 years and the characters
are being brought back to life on stage.
You can
definitely tell that time has moved on as the girls make reference to
the Tory government and the horse meat scandal, however, the birds
themselves haven't changed at all. Tracy (Linda Robson) is still the
lovable mother figure she always was, only now she has agoraphobia and
can only leave the house with her trusty Lidl bag over her head. Sharon
(Pauline Quirke) is still a lazy loud mouth who has nothing going in her
favour and for some reason can't seem to hold down a job.
The sisters are still living together in Chigwell when a mysterious letter arrives from their sex-obsessed, old next door neighbour Dorien (Lesley Joseph). Now the owner of a care home for the 'well off elderly', Dorien is divorced from husband Marcus who ironically left her for another woman. The plot follows the reunion of the trio but for these women trouble is never far behind.
The set is made up of mainly two locations and flips between Tracey's living room and the care home, with pre-recorded video footage projected to show the car journey from one to the other. This is a good use of space and added to the humorous script.
Just like the sitcom this production was full of witty,
fast-paced one liners as the three leading ladies bounced well off of
one another, even adding in the occasional improv. Lesley
Joseph was definitely the star of the night with her sarcastic comments
and comedic timing. The sisters are still living together in Chigwell when a mysterious letter arrives from their sex-obsessed, old next door neighbour Dorien (Lesley Joseph). Now the owner of a care home for the 'well off elderly', Dorien is divorced from husband Marcus who ironically left her for another woman. The plot follows the reunion of the trio but for these women trouble is never far behind.
The set is made up of mainly two locations and flips between Tracey's living room and the care home, with pre-recorded video footage projected to show the car journey from one to the other. This is a good use of space and added to the humorous script.
Even after all this time the show is still loved and was given a well-deserved standing ovation at curtain call. This is a must see show with a first class cast and warm characters that will be sure to leave the audience filled with nostalgia.
4 stars ✭✭✭✭
Birds of a Feather is at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow until 20th April www.atgtickets.com/Glasgow
