Closets - Hope Mill MCR

Picture the scene. It’s 1988 and 16 year old Henry likes Madonna, high heels and prancing about in his mum’s bra when she’s at work. Vodka slurping, ciggie smoking Mum comes home early and is less keen on this. Henry is branded a pervert. What Mum doesn’t know is that Henry has been experiencing strange goings on in his wardrobe. A Tom Daly calendar dated 2018 turns up and on the night Henry gets chucked out he ends up being transported 30 years into the future to find 16 year old Ben in what used to be Henry’s bedroom. Ben likes Ariana Grande, Tom Daly and is being bullied at school. His mum is fab and very much into promoting safe sex, even though she’s not worked out that Ben is gay. Together Ben and Henry embark on a time and location hopping adventure which sees them getting tangled up in the Stonewall riots and making a new friend in New York drag queen Flory from 1969. They meet some very familiar characters from their past and future and love blossoms. Can they be together? Will Henry realise his dreams of drag stardom? Does Henry’s mum get to the bottom of that bottle of Smirnoff?.... you’ll have to go see it.

We had pretty low expectations of this and yes it has some pretty rough edges. But it’s hugely enjoyable with some neat plot twists in Act 2 which use the time travelling foil cleverly. The score is pop based with some good and some unremarkable songs. Lloyd Daniels as Ben sounds nice enough but is no great actor, Henry played by Sam Retford is excellent in all respects. Some issues with the sound mix and missed lighting cues but it was the first preview so is to be expected. The full house loved it. Definitely worth a look.  

The opening scene and song was VERY Jamie.

Curtis.

The keys! The keys!

Down the road a bit at the ‘Queens’.

Or down the road a bit with the Queens.

Well this brought the house down last night. Loved it and a full standing ovation at the end. Act 1 closer the best moment, but lots of humour and emotion throughout. It deserves a wider audience at some point. Met the cast at the end (all lovely) and one seemed fairly confident that the show will get another run ‘somewhere’.

Odd programme situation, in that I paid £4 at the beginning but in the interval, there was a box of them on a table and people were just taking them?!

And the heat! I had a long-sleeved shirt on and it was way too hot.

What a shame, and I’ve been sticking it under your noses since February! 😉 To be fair though I also booked uncharacteristically late because I thought it was going to be pants. Hopefully it will get picked up for a transfer, it’s perfect for a small space. Four stars from those who have bothered to review so far. 

Saw "Closets" this afternoon and I feel odd in that I can't offer a constructive critique. there was much to like in this show, but so much that annoyed the hell out of me - but clearly not the audience who are obviously repeat attenders. The two observations I will make is that given the right breaks, Sam Retford should be a major force in musical theatre and would be a brilliant "Jamie" after the recast and Hayley Tamaddon must play Mrs Johnston in Blood Brothers before long.