BWW Reviews: OH NO IT ISN'T, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, December 15 2014

Having visited the Belgrade a couple of weeks ago to see their annual pantomime (which was rather good I might add), I was also invited to see their 'alternative' panto or "udderly gripping comedy thriller" as it has been branded. The production is aptly named Oh No It Isn't! and is back by popular demand having achieved great audience reaction in 2013 on the B2 stage.

A compact show at 55 minutes long, the production is completely bonkers! It begins in an backstage setting and the wings are fairly exposed anyway to create this atmosphere. Here we realise that there is a conspiracy between cast members wanting to kill each other. The prop gun is replaced by a real gun which then goes missing so the company are left wondering which is the real one. We also make our way onto poisoned apples at a later stage as well, as you do. This action later continues front of the curtain which is slightly disruptive to the standard Jack and the Beanstalk plot.

I understand what Nick Walker - as writer and director - is trying to accomplish with this show and it is full of belly laughs but I did come out thinking that was an hour of my life I will never get back. It was so bad, it was almost good; that old chestnut!

The four-strong cast are all very good and have clearly embraced the material and ran with it. I particularly enjoyed Richard Kidd's performance as Tony who was definitely demonstrating a Breaking Bad moment with his costume (or lack of) early on!

Oh No It Isn't plays on the B2 stage at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry until 27 December 2014.

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