Come along to ‘the Happening’? Well I have never heard that in many a decade and was too young (he says) to enjoy it first time around. It was Diana Ross & The Supremes who had the hit record with ‘The Happening’ back in the day but would all be revealed in the Ivy studio in Infirmary Street?
Well we now know of writer & performer Fiona Coffey for her hit show from 2017 ‘A Touch Of Mrs Robinson’ where she played a convincing cougar with comedy and music. For those shows she had some experienced live musicians which added a rare quality to the production but without them how would the new piece pan out? Well we still had music courtesy of her radiogram this year as she hosts her party with her daughter (played by Asha Cornelia Cluer).
The year is 1968 and we are all invited back to those days after the summer of love and the cocktail parties complete with hostess trolley, punch and cheese & pineapple on a cocktail stick. Honey certainly captures the moment with enthusiasm and the audience all became involved. Fiona (as Honey) acted impeccably and really brought in to the part in a way not seen since Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party where comparisons in some areas will be drawn. We all became her friends as the show went on and there was a lot of love in the room as we joined in to become Hip, Square or Way Out There. Fabulous fun and an Andy Williams soundtrack made this special and who knows where this love in may have led before the twist in the story which I won’t spoil for you. Result is another hit for this company under the direction of Sarah-Louise Young.
Greenside Infirmary Street 17:15 till Aug 25 (not 19)