LondonTheatre1

London Theatre: Tickets Reviews | News | West End | Off-West End | UK Touring Productions

View All Shows Booking Now
  • Home
  • Top Selling Shows
    • Musicals
    • Plays
      • A Christmas Carol
      • Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
      • The Mousetrap
      • The Woman in Black
      • Witness for the Prosecution
    • & Juliet
    • Back To The Future
    • Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
    • Come From Away
    • Dirty Dancing
    • Frozen The Musical
    • Heathers
    • Jersey Boys
    • Les Misérables
    • Mamma Mia
    • Matilda the Musical
    • My Fair Lady
    • Moulin Rouge
    • Only Fools and Horses
    • Pretty Woman the Musical
    • The Book of Mormon
    • The Drifters Girl
    • The Lion King
    • The Phantom of the Opera
    • Tina the Musical
    • Wicked
    • London Theatres
      • Seating Plans
      • Adelphi Theatre
      • Ambassadors Theatre
      • Apollo Theatre
      • Duke of York’s Theatre
      • Fortune Theatre
      • Gillian Lynne Theatre
      • Harold Pinter Theatre
      • Lyceum Theatre
      • New Wimbledon Theatre
      • New Wimbledon Theatre Studio
      • Piccadilly Theatre
      • Richmond Theatre
      • Savoy Theatre
      • Trafalgar Theatre
  • News
    • Interviews
  • Reviews
  • UK Shows
    • Alexandra Theatre
    • Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
    • Brighton Theatre Royal
    • Bristol Hippodrome
      • Bristol Theatre Seating Plan
    • Edinburgh Playhouse
    • Glasgow Theatre Royal
    • Grand Opera House York
    • King’s Theatre Glasgow
    • Kit Kat Club London
    • Leas Cliff Hall
    • Liverpool Empire
    • Manchester Opera House
    • Manchester Palace Theatre
    • Milton Keynes Theatre
    • New Theatre Oxford
    • New Victoria Theatre Woking
    • New Wimbledon Theatre
    • New Wimbledon Theatre Studio
    • Princess Theatre Torquay
    • Regent Theatre Stoke
    • Rhoda McGaw Theatre
    • Richmond Theatre
    • Stockton Globe
    • Sunderland Empire
    • Swansea Arena
    • Victoria Hall Hanley Stoke
  • Dancewear
  • Newsletter
Home » Reviews » Play » Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis at Park Theatre | Review

Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis at Park Theatre | Review

December 14, 2019 Last updated: December 14, 2019 12:11 pm By John Groves

Martha, Josie and the Chinese ElvisHow wonderful to be able to go and see a play where one can sit back, relax and really ENJOY it! This play does exactly what it promises: it entertains, firstly because it is beautifully written and constructed: no scene is a moment too long; secondly because we quickly empathise with all the characters, even if they are larger than life; and thirdly because it is not only extremely funny, it also has moments of real pathos, especially in the second act. Yet, in spite of winning a ‘best play’ award for its author, Charlotte Jones, who more recently penned Humble Boy, it has never been professionally staged in London: until now!

Josie (Kellie Batchelor) is tired. Tired of the Bolton winter of 1998, tired of being a Dominatrix. Too tired to celebrate her fortieth birthday. She has a daughter, Brenda-Marie who has slight learning difficulties, enthusiastically played by Charlie Bence, spending much of her time living in a wigwam in the garden.

Josie’s Irish cleaner, Martha, totally lacking in self-confidence, is hilariously portrayed by Sioned Jones, who has a very expressive face and is able to make the most of her dialogue.

Lionel (Andrew P Stephen) looks just like the owner of a dry-cleaning establishment, and makes the most of his bald head! Jessica Forrest has superb physical energy and demonstrates the art of comic timing in the role of Louise, about whom I will say no more as it would spoil the plot, and Matt Lim (Timothy) is suitably nervous in his role of the Chinese (in fact Vietnamese) Elvis. The fact that he only knows a few of Elvis’ songs, and bears little physical resemblance to him, until Act Two, matters not one jot: as with all the rest of the cast he is totally in role and appreciates the style of the play.

Much of the success of this production is due to the imaginative direction of Robert Wolstenholme, who speeds this two hour play on its merry way with a lightness of touch that is all too often not apparent in comedy these days.

The simple, yet highly attractive yellow and orange set (Amy Mitchell) not only looks good but also is easy to use, aided by imaginative lighting (Nat Green) that brings out the few more serious moments.

In short, a highly enjoyable evening and great seasonal entertainment, if mainly for an adult audience! It was a shame that the budget would not run to even a simple programme: this production deserves more than just a free cast list!

4 stars

Review by John Groves

Josie’s tired. Tired of the Bolton winter. Tired of looking after daydreaming daughter Brenda-Marie. Tired of working as a dominatrix to make ends meet. Too tired to celebrate turning forty.

But her favourite client Lionel insists on a birthday party and, knowing Josie’s a huge Elvis fan, invites a very special guest. Just as hips start swinging, somebody no-one expected arrives and skeletons come tumbling out of the closet…

Writer of Humble Boy (National Theatre) Charlotte Jones’ hilarious and heartfelt comedy about finding a place to fit in won the 1998 Pearson Best Play Award and, on its twenty-first anniversary, receives its first ever London production, from comedy specialists Signal Theatre Company.

Quirky and kinky, and with a rocking Elvis soundtrack*, this sweet yet saucy celebration of life’s outsiders is the perfect ‘adults only’ alternative Christmas treat. (*NB: is NOT a musical!)

The production stars Sioned Jones, Charlie Bence, Kellie Batchelor, Andrew P Stephen, Matt Lim and Jessica Forrest.

Signal Theatre Company in association with Park Theatre present
Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis
By Charlotte Jones
Directed by Robert Wolstenholme

Park90
Plays: 13 Dec – 4 Jan 2020
https://www.parktheatre.co.uk/

Search for Tickets

Latest News & Reviews

Butchered – Expial Atrocious – Vault Festival

January 30, 2023 By Terry Eastham Leave a Comment

After an absence of two years, it was so good to be back under Waterloo Station at the first week of … [Read More...]

Earth – A Children’s Story for Adults at Bridewell Theatre

January 30, 2023 By Admin Leave a Comment

After creating the “absorbing and provocative” Version 2.0 and the “eminently lovable” Letters, … [Read More...]

THIRST by Callum Hughes – Vault Festival

January 29, 2023 By Chris Omaweng Leave a Comment

Bob Carlton (1950-2018) was artistic director of Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch for about seventeen … [Read More...]

London Theatre 1 and London Theatre One are Registered Trademarks Copyright 2023 www.LondonTheatre1.com
By using our website you’re confirming that you’re happy to accept our use of cookies.
Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising - About Us - Newsletter - Contact Us

As an Amazon Associate our website receives a commission from qualifying purchases from Amazon.