On arrival at the Burton-Taylor Studio tonight we were accosted on the door by two bouncers, and the flashing coloured lights in the theatre created the atmosphere of a nightclub before the play had even started. The four-man cast of Bouncers was very energetic and worked well as an ensemble, bringing the classic John Godber script to life in a way that was amusing, but also very rough and raw, painting a lurid picture of a down-market Northern nightclub.
Using just four bar stools and a selection of well-chosen songs to assist them, the actors (sadly anonymous due to the lack of a printout/programme) recreated a humorous and horribly familiar world with flair and energy, and fantastic characterisation. The characters – who can in some productions of this play seem something more shapeless, like a Greek chorus – all had distinct, larger-than-life personalities, built out of the text. Character changes were quick and fluid as the actors slipped from one persona to another. With versatile voices and huge commitment to their roles, they performed as sex-mad young louts, loose and legsy girls and the strong, sober bouncers, along with a huge number of incidental ‘cameo’ characters. The cast not only excelled at, but also blatantly enjoyed taking the piss out of all the usual suspects, especially the nobbish college students!
This cleverly crafted play aims to encapsulate the seedy nightlife of cities in the late 20th Century, shining a harsh spotlight on the culture there, through the medium of mockery and social satire. The production tonight summoned up a really strong atmosphere, interweaving moments of seriousness with the high-energy comedy that runs throughout. This is a very black comedy and the production embraced this: bouncers clad in black, set against black stone walls, grim and hardened, expressing their black view of humanity.