REVIEW: The X-MASsacre at Bread and Roses Theatre 19 - 23 December 2023

‘camp, crazy, creepy, bonkers play’ ★★★★

With Christmas right around the corner thoughts about entertainment turn to pantomimes or the classic old carry on films on the TV that were dragged out year after year. Well this wasn’t exactly either but certainly had elements of both and definitely put the viewers in the right mood for the coming festivities. Barely a moment went by when a giggle or titter could not be heard somewhere in the room.

The plot sees Vasilis, Dean Mantsos, tentatively creeping across the stage in half light to inform us in a ghoulish Vincent Price type way that he intends to murder his wife for her infidelity. This has a ring of almost certain failure when we hear that he then intends to loose himself in the crowd of five Christmas party guests. Four now that his wife would be dead. You see what I mean.

Well, that was the plan and Dean Mantsos does a great job of guiding us through the following farce as the cast proceed to ham it up in the most camp, kitsch and corniest way possible. His accent, though Greek, gives his character a touch of the Dracula or Victor Frankenstein and fits the bill perfectly. The intended victim of his misdemeanour, his wife, is excellently played by Su-Lyn Chow-Seegoolam. Being the happy cheerful host of the party, she does her best to make the event fun for everyone in her silly childish mad kind of way while remaining totally oblivious to her husband’s intentions.

Then the guests start to arrive. Penny Tomai as Angie, gives us a rendition of something similar to Patsy from “Ab’ Fab” as she stumbles and swears her way through the party in a drunken druggy sort of way. Fabrizio Tullio brazens in, all loud shirt and camp shrieking voice and proceeds to conduct a running duel with Angie in a bitchy slagging match that has an unexpected ending. Maria Carmel as the airhead bimbo, does a convincingly irritating and really quite good Jennifer. Perfectly timing all her dumb remarks and daft comments, wearing a bunny-girl costume, she drags along the surprise of the evening, her new sugar-grandaddy Reginald. Played by Michael Davies, Reginald is a convincing portrayal of a dithering old codger. Michael had the physicality down to a T and tweaked up the pace just enough to give Reggy a comedic fast-motion for the chase sequences.

This play would have flowed more without the confines of such a small stage. However, the set changes in half dark with speeded up music becoming part of the show and I found myself looking forward to them when it was obvious they were coming up. Full marks to whoever thought that idea up. Lee James Broadwood has written a great little farce and directed it in a way that made the most of the cast’s talents and limited space.

There was lots of good stuff going on on stage and the audience were treated to a camp, crazy, creepy, bonkers play done “all in the best possible taste”.

Broadmai Productions Ltd

Reviewed by Robert McLanachan