Salisbury Playhouse – until 14 May 2022
Review by Nicky Wyatt
3***
Jim Cartwrights 30 year old play about a poverty stricken family surrounded by grief is a clever if slightly dated show. The casting for this latest revival brings it together and they work really well together.
Sara Perks cleverly designed set is brilliant. The family home complete with crackly electrics is perfect for the era.
Mari (Shobna Gulati) takes the role of a sad, lonely, jealous mum to a whole new level. Her brash clothes and heavy drinking do little to mask her sadness of being widowed and left with a daughter that had more in common with dead husband than she did. She has little time, affection or compassion for her young daughter and sees her as hindrance to her own life, which is a constant round of drinking, partying and unsuitable men. Her biggest excitement is the installation of a telephone , oh and the telephone man.
Mari leans heavily on her slightly awkward friend Sadie (Fiona Mulvaney). Sadie is always there to listen, support and help her friend. She is the butt of many jokes but also delivers some amazing humour herself.
As Mari drinks her way through life upstairs in her bedroom is LV ( Little Voice), Christina Bianco, so named because she is shy, timid, grieves for dad and frankly can’t get a word in around her mum. She sits and plays her fathers records and has the most amazing talent to be able to mimic her idols. When she does ‘it’s not Little Voice but what a voice!’
She is develops her one true friend when the family telephone is installed , the slightly awkward Billy (Akshay Gulati). He sees a kindred spirit in her and a proper caring friendship blossoms, unlike the manipulative one that happens when Mari brings home her latest squeeze club promoter Ray Say (Ian Kelsey).
Ray desperately wanting to hit the big time and make it rich overhears LV singing in her room and sees the ££signs in his eyes. He cajoles, manipulates and persuades LV to perform in the club. Stage fright ensues and LV flops much to her Rays disappointment and Mari’s wrath. The only one on her side is Billy who genuinely cares for her. Not one to give up on a give Ray persuades her to one more night and we are treated to a 10 minute ensemble of Christina’s amazing voice.
Sadly her daughters success is to much for Mari and years of bitterness pour out of her and she is left all alone.
There are some great set changes in this show, brilliant one liners , also a lot of shouting and strong language, see through that and the show is great