Timpson The Musical continues at C Venues until 27 August 2018.
Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩
Mention Timpson to anyone in the country and it immediately conjures up the gold lettering on a maroon background. Speaking to other people waiting for the house to open, the show’s appeal for them lay in the nature of Timpson’s business. As social workers themselves, they were keen to support an organisation known for its philanthropic approach to employing people who would find getting work difficult in many ways.
It’s clear from the programme blurb that Gigglemug is taking a very different approach to Timpsons in this show. It’s basically delivered in a good old days-style musical farce. The audience is welcomed by a talking painting, wielded by the black leotarded form of Chris Baker, a confident performer willing to take risks in the range of roles he performs in the show. His work is similar to early Rik Mayall’s performances – a gifted physical performer.
The Keypulets are the inventors of ‘tiny saws’ (keys to most of us) and the Montashoe family deal in shoes. Both families are single-parent/single-child units. Both have a passion for inventing, particularly the ‘children’ Keeleigh (Sabrina Messer) and Monty (Rob Madge). These are not sophisticated characters; the humour is broad in an end-of-the-pier fashion with music and direction to match.
For example, Monty is sublimely proud of his invention: “The People Flap – it’s a cat flap, but for people.” There then follows a classic slapstick routine where he posts his somewhat tipsy mother through a hole in the open door. Monty hates shoes.
In the midst of this over-the-top comedy with some catchy tunes, there are suggestions of the true Timpson story: “Gotta get up when they knock you down” is oft-repeated before the joining of the Keypulets and Montashoes to “create a better world for all”.
A great live band kitted out in the Timpson aprons have a strong rapport with each other and the cast. Perhaps the guitarist gag should’ve been kept to a one-off, though.
Good laughs and a few missed opportunities delivered by a very talented cast.
Fiona Orr
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