This is Not Mills and Boon

This is Not Mills and Boon
By Erica J Brennan. Glorious Thing Theatre Co. The Old 505 Theatre, Newtown, NSW. May 25 - June 3, 2017

This is one sexy comedy that will make you blush and laugh a lot. The classic ingredient for intense drama is to pit people at extremes against each other, in embarrassing situations.

Writer Erica Brennan has dreamt up the delicious scenario for Aby (Emma Chelsey) and Sol (Gabe Fancourt), who are newly coupled.

Aby has to meet Sol’s mother for the first time at the book launch for her latest blockbuster – a graphically written porn – that is words and no pictures.The book celebrates a woman’s intense desire for the male anatomy and there are no Mills and Boon euphemisms to hide behind.

Delivered with alacrity by Mary (Alison Bennett) it got away with indulgences which a man could not reciprocate.

Into the book launch walks Aby’s father (Lynden Jones), a straight-laced gardener, who can’t quite believe his ears.

The set piece in the production, you won’t be surprised to hear, is a double bed. The equally attractive and taut young couple do some “wrestling” in their underpants. They stopped short on the type of scenes that used to be on show at the Hub Theatre round the corner.

There were some flashes, but they were of the flash back variety. How Aby and Sol met, how they broke up and, to spice things up, Mary and Abe keep appearing in costume from the smorgasbord of fantasy concocted by Mary.

It lost a little momentum when it became serious for a moment but overall this is a beautifully acted and staged comedy.

David Spicer

Photographer: Stephen Godfrey.

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