Ladies Night

Ladies Night has an impressive record - eight sold-out tours of the UK, a Moliere Prize (France’s premiere award for comedy), and translations into sixteen languages. It is without doubt New Zealand’s most commercially successful play.

If you feel you’ve seen the plot before, you have - The Full Monty ripped it off in 1997 - but it’s still a funny concept - four unemployed blokes, motivated by The Chippendales, form a male-strip show to make some money.

It’s not the first time Jally Entertainment have toured a production of the show, and judging by the audience reaction last night, it won’t be the last.

Stars of the night were Steven Tandy and Dale Pengelly, who brought a wealth of professionalism to their roles. Tandy, a masterful comic, was a riot as Gavin, especially in his second-act drag appearance where his banter with the audience elevated the script, whilst Pengelly, who did double-duty as choreographer as well as playing Craig, put the icing on the cake with his raunchy strip.

Also doing double-duty was director Alli Pope, whose Glenda, awash with tarty bling, was a good fit for the RSL club environment.

Mark McCarthy, a Ladies Night veteran with four seasons of the show under his belt, was an audience favourite as Norman, while Andrew Lawson’s Wes, the guy who wanted to remain unknown, and Stephen Hamacek’s Barry, whose wife has walked out on him, each had their moments.

Samuel Peacock’s non-participating Graham had the appropriate bluster with John Sayles the personification of a club MC.

Ladies Night is no masterpiece but with its broad and vulgar humour it ticks all the right boxes for a wide general audience.

Peter Pinne