š Buyer and Cellar
š The Drum, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Royal Parade, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2TR
š Tuesday 29th October 2024
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FANTASTICALLY FUNNY
After having huge success with self-penned shows MY SON'S A QUEER (BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO) and REGARDS TO BROADWAY - both of which were incredible - the incomparable Rob Madge returns to the stage as Alex in one-person play BUYER AND CELLAR. Having been narrating the previous shows as themselves this is something completely different for Madge, who is triumphant in the role.
Alex More is an actor. Out-of-work, but an actor all the same. After being fired from his job at Disneyland after a confrontation with a 9 year old child, his retail experience sees him land a job in a very exclusive shopping mall. So exclusive in fact that there is only one customer! The mall is located in the Malibu basement of the iconic Barbra Streisand, and she is its singular customer!
Alex explains to the audience at the start that the story is a work of fiction by Jon (writer Jonathan Tolins) and that the story was born from a section of Streisand's book My Passion For Design in which she states she had built a mini shopping mall beneath a barn on her property to house all the things she had acquired over the years.
What follows is a bizarre story of friendship, shared secrets and artistic temperament which is both engaging and entertaining.
Coming with its own uniform, Alex's job seems quite tedious at first. That is until his glamorous employer makes an appearance. With Alex as the server and Streisand as the customer, what follows is a witty repartee. She tests Alex in a hilarious encounter where she is bartering to purchase her own doll!
Their relationship grows as the story develops, but does she see him as a friend or a plaything? It all comes to a head when Alex is finally invited into the house, which is seemingly an act of kindness and comfort, but it just turns out that the megastar wants to check out whether she really does want scatter cushions the same colour as his hair!
As well as this curious kinship, the play also looks at Alex's home life and the relationship between him and his partner which really grounds the story and stops it from becoming absurd, giving us an insight into Alex and his inner self.
Madge is magnificent throughout. The way they play both sides of a conversation is absolutely sensational and they have a unique way of holding an audience in such a way that you feel included in the story and you share in their emotions. Their use of accents is brilliant and their cheeky side-eyes to the audience are fantastically funny.
Kirk Jameson's direction uses the space well as Madge never feels lost on the stage. The lighting and sound are wondrous and every element of the production merges together sensationally to deliver a flawless theatrical experience. Kudos to the entire team for creating a masterpiece.
This play can be enjoyed by everyone - whether you're a Barbra Streisand fan or not - and the South West is privileged to be able to witness this talented performer deliver this unforgettable play, as the Theatre Royal Plymouth is the only venue outdide of London where it is playing.
At almost an 1 3/4 hour run-time with no interval, there is no point in which I felt disengaged or that the play was dragging. Thanks to the wonderful script and Madge's effortless and friendly delivery the time flew by and it felt that the end came far too soon.
BUYER AND CELLARĀ is brilliantly funny and I strongly urge you to treat yourself to a ticket this Halloween. The show is playing in The Drum until Saturday 2nd November. Click here to check availability and to book tickets. I've already got a return visit in the diary!
Neill Kovacic-Clarke
All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one reviewer.
My ticket for this performance of Buyer and Cellar was gifted by the Theatre Royal Plymouth who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.
CAST LIST:
Rob Madge as Alex
PRODUCTION CREDITS:
Writer - Jonathan Tolins
Director - Kirk Jameson
Scenographer - Ingrid Hu
Lighting Designer - Jack Weir
Composer and Sound Designer - Emily Rose Simons
Voice and Dialect Coach - Caitlin Stegmoller
Wig Designer - Craig Forrest-Thomas
Costume Supervisor - Catherine Ruddick
Stage Manager - Rosie Morgan
RUNNING TIME (approx):
1 hour 40 minutes, with no interval
AGE RECOMMENDATION:
13+
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