Birds of a Feather (Tour - Blackpool)

Having the likes of Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph on stage at the Blackpool Grand Theatre is such a treat, it's no wonder that there are no empty seats in sight!

This TV comedy hit is revived on stage - designed to pack out theatres and it works wonderfully well, as the audience are in constant fits of giggles, the whole evening. And so were the cast on a few occasions. The show opens with Travis, Tracy’s 15 year old son played by Louis Dumford (Robson’s son, in reality) and he plays the perfect stroppy teenager who you cannot help feeling sorry for as he mourns the death of his father.

Like the TV Sit-Com, there are secrets and lies and much hilarity and the odd poignant moment. True to form, Tracy is keeping a huge secret from her son, which unravels as the play goes on. The chemistry between Quirke and Robson playing the two sisters is just as believable as it ever was.

As soon as Lesley Joseph comes onto the stage, roars and cheers come from the audience. Her famous short dresses seem to get shorter in every scene - very fitting and nostalgic as the audience expect it. Sure, the plot is predictable but this was never supposed to be Ibsen.

Some of the jokes although very funny are a tad too close to the bone and often verge into bad taste comedy, but as the majority of the audience are bound to be fans of the original, they will arrive expecting this, so it delivers in that respect - with every punch line.

The set design is simple and the lighting is done in such a way that it gives you the feel that you are in a TV studio watching the show being filmed.

With so much doom and gloom in the news, this show hits the spot and if you are a fan of the TV show, you will not want to miss out on this little treat.

- Debbie O'Hare