Stags and Hens: The Remix

Set in the toilets of a Liverpool nightclub on the eve of a wedding, this lively and entertaining production captured all the humour, tension, and nostalgia of Willy Russell’s well-loved play. The audience was quickly drawn into the world of the stag and hen parties as old friendships and past relationships resurfaced throughout the evening.

The set design created an effective nightclub atmosphere and reflected the period well, with excellent attention to detail in the dressing of the toilets. A particularly clever touch was the lighting effect through the windows, giving the impression of the disco taking place in the next room. The music that blared through the toilet doors whenever they opened, along with a fantastic playlist, added greatly to the atmosphere and helped establish the setting perfectly.

John Lambert, as the roadie and bouncer, opened the performance by delivering the front-of-house safety notices in a comedic and era-appropriate style. His use of the old mobile phone was a particularly enjoyable touch and immediately set the tone for the evening.

The cast worked confidently together and brought plenty of energy to the stage. The stag party provided great humour, with Darius Granston as Robbie and Andrew Barlow as Billy both giving strong comedic performances. Paul Makinson successfully conveyed the authority and personality of Eddy, the group’s leader, while Josh Allerton gave a standout performance as Kav, full of energy and comic timing. Although Khalid Boumali as Dave may not have had the largest role within the production, he portrayed the drunken character very convincingly.

Jake Soar, as the band’s singer and Linda’s old flame Peter, brought fresh energy when he entered the stage. The chemistry between Peter and Linda was very believable throughout, convincingly portraying their shared history and unresolved emotions.

Isabella Lee gave a strong performance as Linda, conveying her character’s inner conflict and struggling emotions on the eve of her wedding with sensitivity and realism.

On the hen party side, Sonia Hardy gave an outstanding performance as Maureen, made even more impressive by the fact that she stepped into the role only five weeks before the production due to unforeseen circumstances. Her delivery and stage presence made the character especially memorable. Jane Wilton, as Bernadette, was also extremely funny and fully embraced the personality of her character, creating many laugh out loud moments throughout the evening. Angela Plant as Carol and Claire Wade as Frances both supported the production well and completed the dynamic of the hen party well.

Many congratulations to the production team. Director Sonia Hardy and Assistant Director Anne-Marie Hughes ensured the production maintained a strong pace throughout, with good character direction. Sound and lighting by Rob Snell and Sue Harrison as Stage Manager added to the nightclub atmosphere and the set design and build created a highly believable setting for the action.

This was a very funny and thoroughly enjoyable production that entertained the audience throughout the evening. Congratulations to everyone involved and we look forward to your next production.

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