VICTORIA Wood can do no wrong for me and yet...? Acorn Antiques - the Musical is classic Wood that I should have loved and yet...? The touring production of this London smash hit opened at The Lowry last Thursday to an enthusiastic audience including a bevy of Coronation Street girls and Wood herself, who joined the final curtain call. And there was a lot to be enthusiastic about, in particular, a virtuoso performance by Ria Jones as Acorn's cult figure as originated by Julie Walters, the rubber-gloved, pinafored Mrs Overall of macaroon fame. Jones didn't do deadpan as only Walters can, but she did do an engaging, cheeky, wiry, at times frenetic version, that stole every scene she was in. Sara Crowe deserves mention, too, as a beautifully buttoned up Miss Babs, and Kim Ismay, tall, glam, great dancer, as her long lost sister Bonnie. She was part of a tosh of a story Wood built around the slender frame of the Acorn TV sketch. It captured the much-loved stilted, shaky scenery style and had many inspired, funny moments. Those crafted, unexpected one liners were, as ever, a joy. And yet, they were often lost in an over-eager rush through the unwieldy tale, especially by Teddy Kempner's unappealing Mr Clifford. The songs and dance routines were enjoyable enough, especially the latter, and yet they were pointless, bit boring, dare I say, obvious padding. But, what the heck, Jones's Mrs O will carry the day for Wood and Acorn fans who are legion. Acorn Antiques runs at The Lowry until January 20. |
