Blonde Bomshells of 1943, Lowry Theatre

Blonde Bombshells of 1943 by Alan Plater

Director: Mark Babych

Reviewer: Stephanie Rowe

Set in the Second World War, the year 1943 and the Blonde Bombshells were the most glamorous of all girl swing bands, or at least their poster said they were.

This tongue in cheek musical comedy will have you toe tapping along to the hits and laughing at the very fast coming innuendo’s. Packed full of 1940’s hits performed by a live sensational eight piece swing band, the story of how the blonde bombshells manage to lose members of its band every time they play at a GI camp and how now they have an important live changing event coming up they need to replace 4 of the members they lost.

.

Along comes Elizabeth ( Laura Stevely) a 6^th form naive schoolgirl who plays the clarinet like an angel, Lily (Sarah Whittuck) the singing banjo playing nun, who has you laughing every time she speaks, Miranda (Rosie Jenkins) a very upper-crust ATS girl with a very strong liking for men, playing the saxophone and then comes Pat or should we say Patrick (Matthew Ganley) who will do anything to avoid being drafted in to the army even down to wearing a dress and a wig!

.

The cast shone throughout with each member respecting the others and not one of them trying to upstage the others. There were particularly remarkably moments when each member of the band had the limelight and this really helped you to understand their character.

The setting was simple, a bombed dilapidated theatre where rehearsals and auditions are held to the glamorous setting of the performance at the secret location, Libby Watson, who was also responsible for the setting and the costumes, was spot on, with the high waisted trousers, the tight fitted skirt and the trilby all added to the magic of this show.

If after seeing Blonde Bombshells you do not come away singing all the hits and laughing still at the jokes within it then Mark Babych will have failed in his Direction of this show, but I can guarantee you he has not and you will enjoy it tremendously. This is a not to be missed show, a simple case of if tickets are not available here then chase them at another theatre as soon as possible.

Blonde Bombshells of 1943 is on at the Lowry Theatre until Sat 24^th Jan 2009