Boys Will Be Boys - Crude, Potty-Mouthed And Pointless

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Penny Flood was not impressed by the Bush Theatre's production at Bush Hall

There's certainly a case to be made for how women and succeed in a business world dominated by men, but this attempt at a musical, isn't it.

In spite of the title, this isn't about boys or even men, it's a crude, cliché-ridden, potty-mouthed musical about one woman's desperate ambition to succeed in a man's world, and how, in spite of best efforts, things don't work out the she way she planned. It's neither clever nor witty and certainly not as funny nor as shocking as it thinks it is , and if it has got a serious point to make, it falls wide of the mark.

The woman in question is Astrid Wentworth who believes the only way to beat men in business is to be as horrible as they are with drink, drugs, and sex. It's a theme that would give modern day feminists a fit, but let it pass.

Kirsty Bushell is magnificent as Astrid, it's her boundless energy striding and snarling about the stage that carries the show along. She's supported by Priya (Ellora Torchia), a young girl who wants to be like her and almost succeeds, but at a terrible cost; and Isabelle (Chipo Chung) a high class prostitute who Astrid pays to be her companion and, eventually, lover.

The trouble is that there isn't much of a plot, certainly not enough to fill the time. As it opens, Astrid, in her cups, drinking alone in a classy cocktail bar asks of no one in particular how a women can succeed in a man's world when she's got a vagina. That's more or less her theme, and she goes on about it for nearly two hours, with some of her the ranting interspersed with songs and dance. None of the songs is original, old numbers have been slotted in, and they don't always match the action, but the dancing is terrific, making good use of a very small space. The Sisters number with pink fans was particularly good.

The setting is part nightclub, part public toilets with a pair of lavatories as the only props. It was mildly funny, in a childish sort of way, when they were wheeled on, but Astrid and Pryia having to sit on them while they discussed some serious issues, especially at the end when things got nasty, was just silly, adding to the overwhelming feeling of pointlessness. Actually, it was only at the end that things got interesting, and it's a pity that's not where it started.

The Bush Theatre is closed while they're doing it up, so this was in Bush Hall, a much smaller venue with cramped, uncomfortable seating, which made the whole experience even more unpleasant.

Boys Will Be Boys continues at Bush Hall, 310 Uxbridge Road till July 30, Monday to Saturday at 8pm with matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm. There were will be an audio described performance on Saturday July 9 at 2.3pm and a captioned perfomance on July 15 at 8pm.

There will also be a BushGreen Live Debate after the performance on July 14 at 9.45pm.

Book tickets online or call the box office

 

 

July 1, 2016