Dinnerladies: Second Helpings

Alhambra Theatre, Bradford

Nick Ahad ***

The pull for visitors to the Alhambra for this show was obvious and goes to show how beloved Victoria Wood is – even when she’s not there she can still draw a crowd.

Dinnerladies the stage show arrived in Bradford without Wood in person, but it had buckets of Wood in spirit.

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The fingerprints of the woman once described as the love child of Alan Bennett and Pam Ayres are all over this production, based on the TV series she created and wrote.

As a stage show it works – to a degree. When the cast are attempting to impersonate their on-screen counterparts the show is weaker, but when they make the characters on stage their own the production really comes alive.

Dinnerladies: Second Helpings, takes the characters of the popular TV show and transfers them wholesale to the stage. Audiences familiar with the series will recognise much here. There is an original(ish) tale about an unwanted pregnancy, but there is little that will come as a surprise if you know the TV series well – it feels like there are plenty of reheated gags on show. The fans won’t be disappointed with this, judging by the reaction on Friday night, when it felt like the audience were simply wallowing in the joy of the familiar.

Laura Sheppard draws the short straw in taking on the role of Bren, first brought to life by Wood on TV. Her impersonation of Wood’s Bren is impressive, but it ultimately means the character can only feel as deep as a caricature. Sue Devaney as Jane gives a stand-out performance that holds together a show that is difficult not to like.

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