Menopause the Musical | Review
Menopause the Musical,
The Hawth Crawley,
20th March 2018
Playing to a 99% female audience last night at The Hawth Theatre Crawley, Cheryl Fergison (EastEnders, Heather Trott), Maureen Nolan (The Nolans), Casualty’s Rebecca Wheatley and Copy Cats’ Hilary O’Neil, continued the UK National sell out tour of Menopause the Musical. The show has longevity having been performed worldwide since 2001, with UK tours in 2008, 2010, 2016 and most recently early 2017, but what is it about?
The clue is in the title and aims to celebrate women from all backgrounds experiencing ‘The Change’. Set in a department store throughout the show, the excellent actors represent women of different backgrounds all experiencing time of life changes. The set could really have been anywhere and basically acts as a backdrop for bringing together the women who otherwise would appear to have nothing in common.
The laughter and entertainment produced is purely from the genius of the actors’ comedy in relating to the audience through excellently funny innuendo interpretation of well-known pop songs into menopausal symptoms. There is no storyline but plenty of laughs and as yesterday’s performance proved, hysterics from some members of the audience.
This is a feel-good enjoyable show, whether you are menopausal or not, as the symptomatic process of “The Change ” including hot flushes, night sweats, memory loss, chocolate binges, sex and plastic surgery are celebrated and sung through in a comical and carefully crafted way so to rejoice rather than patronise “the sufferer of the Change”. There are stand out songs that give the whole performance magic moments and “My Thighs” and “Stayin awake” are real hilarity highlights, not to mention the excellent Beach Boys rendition.
Funny throughout, The Menopause the Musical, amuses and entertains everyone in the audience, even the two brave men who attended amongst the oestrogen depleting audience.
Reviewer: Julie Warwick
Menopause the Musical continues its UK tour: Dates Here