ROXY
KRASNER AND THE CASE OF THE MUMMY'S CURSE
College
Players at Brentwood Theatre
12.05.12
"There's
a zombie stealing the Ark of the Covenant!!!" They do still
write dialogue like that, I'm glad to say, and the anonymous ["…
is he Greek ?"] screenwriter behind this Roxy Krasner sequel has
come up with a wickedly entertaining confection. Think Indiana Jones
done over as a 39 Steps style spoof, and you'll start to get the B
picture. There were also a couple of dance routines and a weird
Sapphic subplot, all expertly "produced and directed" by
Sue Welch and Nick Wilkes.
Technically,
the show was a triumph, with a lovely wide set, brilliant back
projections and an impressive pair of female facilities.
A
strong cast embraced the OTT style, none more successfully than Paul
Sparrowham as the lecherous Limelight Larry – his striptease and
cover-up a comic highlight. Roxy herself, talking novel and secretary
sidekick, was engagingly done by Lindsey Hollingsworth, with Darren
Matthews as her granite-jawed detective. Excellent work too from Emma
Feeney as Cleo Cartwright, Mariam Uddin as the undercover reporter
Holly Woods and Hannah James as Goldie, Queen of the Nile. Best
support – Stephen Bracken-Keogh's dyspeptic telegram man, and, well
worth waiting for, a double cameo from June Fitzgerald and Elaine
Laight as the Salmon Sisters.
We're
promised a third episode, and indeed were treated to a slick trailer
before the credits rolled.
