Theatre review: Bad Girls the Musical **** (From News Shopper)

Theatre review: Bad Girls the Musical ****

3:50pm Wednesday 17th October 2007 in

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A RESOUNDING bang (making most of us in the audience jump) sounded lock down and the start of Bad Girls the Musical, based on the popular TV show.

Right from the first song when the inmates at HMP Larkhall gave their individual sob stories and sang "I shouldn't be here" I was hooked.

Only one of the original members of the ITV cast was in the stage show - Sylvia Hollanby, aka Bodybag (Helen Fraser) but all the old favourites are brought to life on the stage from lifer Shell Dockley to the loveable two Julies.

David Burt was a cracking Jim Fenner, striking just the right mix between charm, smarm and sinister, taking in new vulnerable inmate Rachel Hicks with his apparent caring nature.

And the two hardened prisoner officers, Fenner and Bodybag made a great camp comedy double act.

Their turn celebrating the apparent success of their plot to get rid of naive prisoner governor Helen Stewart (a very believable Laura Rogers) and replace her with Fenner had a hilarious panto-like quality and was finished with spangles galore.

But the slapstick was nicely juxtaposed with some genuinely moving moments such as Nikki Wade (Caroline Head), in prison for killing a policeman who was raping her girlfriend, singing about her lost love.

And among the grit of prison life there was even some romance as we saw the love story between Nikki and the governor unfold.

The drama of the TV show was not lost on the stage, with the second half coming to a climax with a riot following Rachel's suicide.

For both die-hard fans and new inmates - plus genuine Big Brother bad girl Charley Uchea spotted in the audience thoroughly enjoying the show - Bad Girls the Musical is a treat; gritty, camp, catchy, touching and funny.

Bad Girls the Musical, Garrick Theatre, London until March 2008. Box office 0870 0400083 or visit badgirlsthemusical.com