Waterloo East Theatre 11 May – 8 June. Reviewed by Claire Roderick
Trashy and triumphant, The Great American Trailer Park Musical is a must see.
Country and soft rock influenced songs, hysterical lyrics, choreography that includes every cheesy move you’ve ever seen on MTV – what more could you want? With an irreverent script, a plot that could well be from a daytime movie, and a cast of characters including every stereotype you can think of living in a trailer park, this show is simply a blast.
Jeannie (Jemma Alexander) and Norbert (Adam Vaughan) have a big wedding anniversary coming up and he wants to take her out to celebrate, the problem is, Jeannie hasn’t set foot outside their trailer in Armadillo Acres for 20 years. While Jeannie is trying to overcome her phobia, Pippi (Sabrina Aloueche) moves in next door, and begins to get very close to Norbert. But Pippi’s boyfriend Duke (Josh Dever) is coming to find her… and he’s high on magic markers!
The story is told by the Girls, Betty (Rosemary Ash), Pickles (Jodie Steele) and Lin – short for Linoleum “Cos My momma gave birth to me on the kitchen floor” (Michelle Bishop).
The entire cast are amazing – no weak links at all, with fantastic voices, lovely harmonies and superb comic timing. Ash, Steele and Bishop are a brilliant team, bouncing off each other and generating belly laugh after belly laugh. Jamie Alexander steals the show as Jeannie – rocking the bad wig and nightie whilst belting out heartfelt country tunes that feel familiar until you hear the ridiculous lyrics.
David Nehls’ music and lyrics are wonderful, with lots of catchy tunes you’ll be humming on the way home. Betty Kelso’s script is full of spectacular one-liners and the cheesy plot turns are predictable, but they’re meant to be. There’s even a dream sequence about a TV chat show that makes Jerry Springer’s guests look sane. This is mickey taking with love. The only thing missing was a guest appearance by Otis Lee Crenshaw.
This is a fabulously funny musical that you HAVE to see.