Palace Theatre - Mansfield
October 4th 2000

Hurrah, Hurrah and about time too! What a refreshing change Popcorn made a visit to Mansfield Palace Theatre - and I don't mean the sweet or salted stuff either. It was so good to see Sherwood Theatre Company
teamed with Frontroom Productions tackling some new material rather than giving us yet another Rogers and Hammerstein number or similar.

I must admit that having picked up comedian Ben Elton's novel some years ago - a satirical observation of US society - only to put it down just as swiftly. I wasn't thrilled by the prospect of what I had previously found to be a mind-numbing mish-mash of characters in Hollywood hysteria. But I was surprised to say the least, that what I remembered to be such an un-compelling story unfolded on stage into a surreal, but thought-provoking, black comedy to which I became hooked.
This was by far the best piece of amateur drama I have ever seen and I congratulate all whom were involved on a cracking show.

David Savage gave an award-worthy performance as the stereotypical Oscar-winning Hollywood director, blood almost at boiling point with his stressed-out and
self-opinionated bellowing.

Eva Bell really got on my nerves - the sign of a great performance, as the directors spoilt little rich kid, and hey, I wouldn't mess with Wayne Hudson the mass murdering psychopath aka Steve O'Toole and his equally twisted partner Scout (Jo Stendall), who in the midst of their blood-thirsty killing spree delivered that typical Ben Elton wit
brilliantly, not to mention great accents.

Jaimi Mitchell (Mansfield Chad)


Click here for more information about this production