Bones

Synopsis

Set in the 1960s Bones takes place in a porn cinema in Gateshead. Two Jewish brothers are at war with each other, their business is on the verge of bankruptcy and they owe a shed load of money to a local gangster. But it seems that all of their problems are over when one of them thinks he has kidnapped Reggie Kray...Sharp, uncompromising and witty, with a generous helping of strong language, nudity and violence, Bones is a high-octane comedy about family ties, gangland warfare and a man in a dress.

Our Review:

1 March 2002

A play set in a 1960s porn cinema on Tyneside and involving the two Jewish proprietor-brothers does not immediately appear to be an ideal night out at the theatre. But this revival of Peter Straughan's 1999 black comedy, a co-production between Newcastle's Live Theatre and the Hampstead in London, soon dispels any fears of that.

The brothers, who are on the verge of bankruptcy, owe the local gangsters a lot of money and have only a few days to pay. Until Boxing Day, that is, when the infamous Reggie Kray just happens to call into the cinema and is kidnapped. The first half of Bones is high comedy, with the characters given space to develop nicely before a change of pace after the interval paints things much darker, releasing inner demons and raising the emotional stakes.

Each of the five cast members demonstrates total control over their characters and work together well as an ensemble. You never doubt for a moment that David Cardy's Reggie Kray is capa...

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Latest User Review

USER: Whatsonstage.com - 25 March 2002:

The acting is generally good, and there are some neat bits of dialogue and farce, but ultimately it's an increasingly tedious mess (seen at Live Theatre, Newcastle)...

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