In an upmarket 80s bar, four cocktail waitresses and four bouncers serve up a series of vignettes from the decade of excess in this fun show from Paperlight Theatre.
The actors seamlessly transform into characters from all walks of life, from the martini-shakers to hairdressers and girls getting ready for a night on the tiles. It’s a lively hour with rapid, sometimes rhyming dialogue painting a vivid picture of love, liquor and (very grotty) loos.
Those who lived through the 80s will appreciate the small details, like the Steve Wright Radio 1 phone-in, the Alberto Balsam lathered on at the salon, and admiring Daley Thompson’s physique. The soundtrack will also take you on a nostalgia trip, filled as it is with 80s dance bangers.
There’s a smattering of audience interaction but it’s very gentle- the odd bit of flirting, an ID check, taking drink orders – and the awkward dancing scenes had everyone laughing and cringing in equal measure. I thought the braying yuppies as played by the ladies were spot-on, and the urinal scene was memorable… I’ll leave it at that! Everyone remaining in character as we file out was a nice touch; it felt just like 3am at many nightclubs I used to frequent.
If you fancy a night out at a more reasonable mid-morning time, make sure to see Bouncers & Shakers. (But don’t forget to clear off before you’re chucked out.)
****
Bouncers & Shakers is at theSpace on the Mile, 20-24 Aug