Boys In The Buff

Lambco Productions - Golden Goose Theatre

A celebration of being yourself and finding your confidence. The message translates to all audiences, it explores body confidence, whilst reminding you to love and accept your body.

If you had to strip down for a show, how would you feel about it? This show explores body confidence, head to toe and all the bits in between. The characters are in a show and need to perform a 'Boys in the Buff' number and get naked! The show is building up to this one big moment and follows the characters as they help one of their group members, Phil, find the confidence to go all the way with the show and take it all off. You can't feel unsure; you need to be happy and confident with who you are. The characters talk about who they are, their journeys and how they got to a point where they feel confident with who they are. It can be translated to all genders, and it has a great message about loving who you are. It is very relevant to our present day, for instance, it discusses the idea of the new weight loss medication that has reshaped society, perhaps not a positive. The message of the piece, of course, is timeless! It's a modern-day Full Monty with glamour and incredibly multi-skilled cast members.

Each cast member brings something completely different to the show, a little bit like Power Rangers... they all have different skills and stories, but together create this beautiful, empowering, and powerful unit. I could've come up with a more theatrical comparison, but I feel that this perfectly creates the image I intend to convey of the cast. Max Rizzo plays 'Luca', and the energy and power he gives to the choreography is mesmerising. He empowers the audience to be charming! Liam Bradbury plays Richard, and what a powerhouse of many MANY skills, and from his experience, the show does not show half of what he can do! What a great performer that brings an abundance of skill, personality and confidence. We could talk about each character, but the biggest talent is Tish Weinman, who leads the journey of the show. What energy they bring to the piece and each number they perform is utterly divine. A huge voice and great movement! Brilliant stage presence. Each character has incredible musical theatre skills that wow the audience.

Production shots by Peter Davies

This show is set in a 'thrust staging' (not a pun), with the audience at each angle, and the cast does a good job of interacting with each side. This is a good choice for the moments when they are interacting with the audience, but I feel the content looks better from an 'end on' with the audience at the front of the stage. Then you wouldn't miss expressions, and you'd appreciate the choreography more, because the choreography by Robbie O'Reilly is beautiful. They do a great job of staging the action throughout to give each side vision, but you lose brilliant moments. This is a fringe theatre venue, and the creatives have used their space to its best abilities. This would be stronger if the venue were not as close, because vision-wise, it's so close you can't see each area from a view where you can appreciate the whole stage. This is not a change that is easily made, as it is, of course, that's not a fault, as they have used what they have to the best of its ability. Lighting design by Richard Lambert adds vibrance and enhances the mood of the piece. It helps create the 'showbiz' element of the story. The lighting helps illustrate the show and animate the characters' stories!

The show is worth watching, as it is something different and it's empowering. It's relatable and just a bit of fun for adults. It is very much for adults! It gets you thinking, feeling and grooving throughout. There is a tiny moment of audience participation, but don't worry, it's for those who will put themselves out; you won't be pulled from your seat. This is a fabulous night out and a strong piece of theatre from this festive season! It's on till 10th January, so do NOT miss out!

Production shots by Peter Davies