Sexy Laundry, Tabard London, 3***: William Russell
London.
SEXY LAUNDRY
By Michele Riml.
3***
The Tabard Theatre, 2 Bath Road, Chiswick, London W4 1LW to 25 November 2018.
Tues – Sat 7.30pm Mat Sat 4pm & Thu & Sun 2pm.
Runs 70 mins No interval.
TICKETS: 0208 995 6035.
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Review: William Russell 7 November.
Amusing marital matters
It has taken 16 years for this comedy by the Canadian writer Michele Riml to be staged here, although it has been performed all over Europe and in its land of origin, which is surprising because it is a neat little two hander perfect for people off the telly to take on tour. It is about Henry (Nick Raggett) and Alice (Felicity Duncan) who, after 25 years of marriage and three kids, are not getting up to much in the bedroom any longer. Alice has decided to do something about this, booked an expensive hotel room and acquired some interesting kit as well as a book about spicing things up.
Basically it is a sit com rather than a look at marriage in any serious sense, but it is none the worse for that and Raggett and Duncan play the fractious pair very well indeed. He is a small bundle of neuroses – work is getting him down, he is pernickety and short of temper – and she is all too aware that she is not what she used to be.
Watching how they sort things out passes the time agreeably – Terry and June or Judi and Michael spring to mind – and long time married couples will watch with a degree of self awareness which adds to the pleasures on offer. It has been briskly directed by Pheobe Barran, handsomely set and the performances could not be bettered. It is a rather good pre dinner show which will leave something to talk about over the food.
There is serious theatre, pretentious theatre, absurd theatre – this falls into the good night out and not outlasting its welcome category of theatre. But that title is truly terrible as it implies smut and smutty it is not.
Henry: Nick Raggett.
Alice: Felicity Duncan.
Director:Pheobe Barran.
Designer: Anna Bliss Scully.
Lighting Designer: Holly Ellis.
Sound Designer: David McSeveney.
Fight Director: Ronin Traynor.
Production photography:Andreas Grieger.