The Studio, New Wimbledon Theatre – until 11th November 2023
Reviewed by Carly Burlinge
4****
Seize the Cheese is a story about a world famous cheese rolling event held in Gloucestershire where people decide to take the plunge and run down a dangerous hill in pursuit of the famous double Gloucester cheese and this is exactly where the story begins!
With many different characters at the top of the hill, all there for different reason thinking that throwing themselves down the hill may somehow help their individual stories! Each of them have their own tale to tell there’s Jake (Fed Zanni) and Susan (Judith Orelly) a couple who are dealing with fertility issues. Best friends Arthur (Oliver Bullen) and Leila (Rosie Zeidler) who slept with each other and now it’s the end of the world! A daughter Jasmine (Jodi Bird) trying to break free from her overbearing Mother Dorothy (Victoria Waddington). Phobia Phil (James Dangerfield) who is afraid of pretty much everything around him and wants to be brave by running down the hill and succeeding, he comes every year and hasn’t managed to quite make himself run off the edge just yet! Alongside other characters we see snippets of their lives understanding the reasons in which they have ended up here.
The whole event wouldn’t take place or be so unique without the Keeper of the Cheese (Cathy McManamon) guiding them through. Shes a nutty hippy who holds magical powers within her that she received from the forest fairies and spirits. The reason for these powers is to help the people overcome their fear and to eventually find there inner selves and reach their destinies. But with things not going as they normally do and the spirits of the hills all over the place. As well as the real life Cheese (Travis Wood) causing issues for the keeper. He offers much pizazz he’s ludicrously funny and in fact was the highlight of the evening with some great singing and a touch of sassy dancing making the audience laugh alongside some cheese puns as he walks off the stage with “Gouda Bye“.
The show also had a live band of bass-guitar, drums and keyboard and offers some fast paced tracks throughout, keeping the audience entertained throughout.
Everything seemed very quick paced with lots going on including slow motion movements of rolling down the hill, again very funny to watch. All in all a bizarre ambitious but very funny production that I enjoyed, I haven’t laughed like that in a while. The stranger the better.