Gangsta Granny 2018 at the Birmingham Stage Company. Tom Cawte (Ben) and Jenny Gayner (Mum). Photo by Mark Douet.The convoluted storyline involves a lonely granny who contrives a life of crime to excite the interest of her grandson who she realises loathes his enforced weekly Friday-night visits to see her whilst his parents indulge their passion for ballroom dancing.
Jenny Garner as Strictly Dancing obsessed Mum, twirls her way through the kitsch dance bits with undoubted skill and demonstrates her training - otherwise she is vastly under-utilised. Jason Furnival as Dad is largely unmemorable but makes more of a splash in other amusing roles, notably the Neighbourhood Watch nosey parker. Tom Cawte as Ben acquits himself as the initially sulky teenager who develops enthusiasm for granny and Louise Bailey as Granny is suitably heartwarming as the elderly relative who manages to impart her kindly message of tolerance without too much saccharine. Of the supporting players, Emma Matthews demonstrates the neat art of scene stealing firstly as a hospital matron and later as a WPC.
The 3 revolving box sets with their compact compartments are a well-used and familiar theatrical device but also an accident waiting to happen for a props heavy show. Several bits didn’t work quite as expected, but the quick thinking cast managed to work around the failing hinges and clips.
Most of the jokes involve cabbage and old people farting. It’s blatantly one dimensional humour and rather tedious for an adult - even the children in the audience seem rather bored by the whole thing in the first half and several parents were clearly taking the opportunity to catch-up on much-needed sleep under the cover of darkness. This reviewer nearly joined them... and then the second half happened, where the pace picks-up considerably.
Difficult to understand the timing of this West End placement given that the summer holidays are almost over and Christmas is a long way off. What market are the team aiming for at £75 for a stalls seat? Clearly families who love the books will flock - so long as the breadwinners have plenty of disposable income.
Emilia Bassano is a fascinating woman in her own right who doesn’t need to be defined by a celebrity lover, but it’s suggested that along her journey she was the secret muse of William Shakespeare.