"Wickedly funny comedy duo Susan Earle & Janice Phayre have teamed up with ATC Director and former League of Gentlemen collaborator Gordon Anderson to bring you an existential drama with laughs!"

We reviewed it:

Susan Earle & Janice Phayre are a indeed a wickedly funny partnership - original too, their one-hour show took a rapidly engaged audience into the worlds of horror, sci-fi, aerobics, and much more, without once mentioning chocolate. (Who the hell ever came up with the idea that chocolate was funny anyway? Probably Nestlé - the bastards.) This is clearly truly innovative female comedy.

When Susan & Janice are tricked by an unknown force into staying at a bizarre Bed & Breakfast their innermost secrets trigger a series of parallel universe events, populated by hysterically funny and very recognisable characters - nuns, of course (one of whom has a thing for TV vampires), the irritatingly smug Australian fitness instructor, the histrionically deep doyenne of modern experimental dance and more.

Parody abounds - from Rocky Horror to Blair Witch - via Pot Black, the Sweeney and Eric Clapton. Susan & Janice have a uniquely witty take backed up by versatile characterisation. Production values are strong - the show relies on some excellent backstage support - lighting, sound and camera effects play a dramatic part and are perfectly timed. Teamwork is the real backbone of this production - the timing and interplay of expressions and gestures with effects is utterly attention-grabbing and Susan & Janice play off each other with a click I haven't felt since Morecambe & Wise.

This was the first Nuffield show I've been to since I was a student (and there are students at the uni now who weren't even born then). The audience laughed its socks off and there was no doubt that at £7 (£4.50 concessions) a ticket they thought they'd got their money's worth. I felt I'd discovered a hidden treasure - Nuffield productions aren't much heard about in town but if this is a typical example of the quality then I want to hear a lot more. (To be honest, I thought, 'damn, if I tell everyone about this, then I'll have to fight off my colleagues for the review tickets….' but therapy has helped me to be a nicer person).

Watch out for Susan Earle & Janice Phayre - We'll be seeing a lot more of them. You heard it here first.

26/10/02