A Dukes production
Thursday 24 March - Saturday 16 April 2011
review by Alan Chard
Production photographs : Press Release : Review
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice
Thursday 24 March - Saturday 16 April 2011
Written by Jim Cartwright in 1992 this play had immediate success, and was turned into a film, but nowadays it is not often produced in the theatre. It tells the story of LV or Little Voice, so named because her voice is so quiet and soft. LV spends most of her time in her bedroom, listening to and singing along to her collection of vinyl LPs by famous female vocalists that was bequeathed to her by her beloved father. LV is escaping her man-mad foul-mouthed booze fuelled mother, Mari Hoff. LV is 'discovered' when Ray Say, her mother's latest boy-friend recognises her talent immediately as his ticket to the big time.
It's not surprising the theatres don't produce this play more often, the role of Little Voice is very demanding, calling for acting and the ability accurately to impersonate famous singers such as Lulu, Shirley Bassey, Marilyn Monroe and Julie Andrews.
The Dukes has an excellent 'Little Voice' in Rebecca Hutchinson who combines playing the reclusive, drab-looking LV who hides in her bedroom with the glamorous performer who elicits spontaneous applause from the audience.
All the characters in this production are larger-than-life, LV's mother, Mari Hoff squeezed into tight fitting clothes and sporting bright green eye make-up, sorting through the dirty laundry for her best knickers and bra, the club host Mr Boo - "Don't say my name too loud or I'll think you don't like me", the softly-spoken telephone installer with the faltering voice and uneasy gait. Mari's huge (literally) friend Sadie delights the audience with her dance routine and small-time would-be impresario Ray Say is so sleazy you can almost feel the slime! There are some great scenes of Ray and Mari cavorting on the sofa and ripping their clothes off before plunging into bed while LV turns up the volume.
Uproariously funny is the only way to describe this production, performed to a full house who thoroughly enjoyed themselves from beginning to end, the kind of performance that makes the reviewer's job a pleasure. Without a doubt the best thing I have seen at the Dukes.
Alan Chard, March 2011