Based on Victoria Wood's hugely popular 1980s BBC mini-soap of the same name, which was a spoof on the long-running ITV soap opera Crossroads, with its wooden acting style and flimsy sets. We begin in a small theatre in Sutton Coldfield, where director John is hoping to rehearse his new work, a bleak uncompromising look at life in modern Britain. In an attempt to lure the middle classes into the show, he has called it Acorn Antiques, and engaged some of the original cast of the axed TV soap to play their own parts. When BO arrives, happily clutching her unopened script, she is appalled at the tone of the piece and has an idea to shoe horn in some lovely number from a musical she was in, in 1957. When the hapless cast find their dress rehearsal is in fact public, they have no choice but to carry on with the show. In the midst of the ensuing chaos, a stroke of luck allows BO to realise her dream, to have a 'proper' musical written about the doings of Manchesterford's favourite antique shop. And so the second half of the show, is BO's West End production as commissioned by her, set in the shop, with lots of lovely singing and dancing, and with a whacking great part for her. Victoria Wood will perform on Monday evenings and Wednesday matinees only. Julie Walters will perform on Tuesday-Saturday evenings and Saturday matinees only.| 27 Jan 05 to 21 May 05 | Theatre Royal Haymarket West End, Greater London Performance Details => Venue archive |
