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JACK
THE RIPPER
by
Ron Pember and Denis de Marne
29th
March - 5th April 7.45pm
Revue
from the Cheltenham Echo
When the ladies of the night hitch up their
skirts, tilt their titfers and flash their bloomers as they dance, they make the
east end of London look quite jolly.
But this is Jack the Ripper's turf, a dark and grubby place where the 'poor
unfortunates' of Whitechapel sell their bodies to stay alive.
Jack the Ripper is a musical journey through the prostitute murders of 1888.
And
when it comes to am-dram, the Playhouse Company doesn't disappoint, with a cast
that throws itself into lusty ballads, cor blimey cockney accents, and
blood-curdling screams.
The 49-year-old company first staged a production of Jack the Ripper in 1978,
four years after it hit the West End.
The tale is split between the streets where the women ply their trade and the
bright lights of the London theatre.
And Cheltenham's well-loved Playhouse theatre with its creaky floorboards and
seats-on-top-of-the-stage feel is a setting that takes you back to the music
halls of the 1800s where some of the scenes are set.
Ron Pember and Denis de Marne's musical is loaded with rousing songs about
murderers coming out of the smog, policemen dressed in drag and Queen Victoria's
undies.
Playhouse stalwart Caroline Greenwood takes the lead role of Marie Kelly, a
woman who tries to flog young Polly's clothes after she's killed by the Ripper.
Caroline plays her with verve and sauciness, turning her in to a tart with heart
who you find yourself hoping makes it through the play alive.
Marie is befriended by the very proper Montague Druitt, a bible-brandishing
do-gooder who promises the girls 'salvation if they renounce Lucifer and change
their wicked ways.
Colin Bennett makes the character larger than life, subtly introducing his
darker side and camping it up for the vaudeville show.
Ali Croft, who plays Cathy, and Keith Franklin, who stars as cheeky-chappie Dan,
bring a light touch to a dark subject, but they're two of many colourful
characters on stage.
Good movies, telly and theatre shows should immerse you in their plot and make
you forget reality for a while.
And as I hurried past a dark alley on my way home I realised with a shiver that,
despite the big show tunes and fabulous costumes, Jack the Ripper was realistic
enough to leave me feeling slightly disturbed.
Jack the Ripper runs at 7.45pm until Saturday. For tickets, call 01242 522852.
Sally Bailey
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