Sexy Laundry Turns On Chiswick's Tabard Theatre

Susan Stanley Carroll reviews UK premiere of play about rekindling passion

You guessed it, this one ain’t for the kids folks. However, if you’re ‘down' with hearing a few personal home truths spoken by someone other than your partner and enjoy having a good belly laugh, then the Tabard’s new show ‘Sexy Laundry’ might just be your cup of Kama Sutra

Written by Michelle Riml, ‘Sexy Laundry’ is a rollicking, romantic comedy - grounded, now and again, by wistful moments but mostly awash with sweet’n saucy lines that’ll keep you on tenterhooks. And as a grandma of two, I can tell you that being on tenterhooks has never felt so good!

The two characters in the play, Alice (Felicity Duncan) and Henry (Nick Raggett), have been married for 25 years.The plot sees Alice setting up a special weekend in a chic, spa hotel hoping to revive their monotonous, mundane marriage.

The elegant luxury hotel room, complete with mood lighting and a huge aroma vase diffusing wisps of exotic fragrance into the audience, seems the haven Alice needs to seductively ‘stroke’ her plan into action.

She yearns for passion and sex to add zest to her lack lustre relationship with Henry. He doesn’t quite ‘get her’, particularly when she acts out a scene suggested by her ‘manual’, a scene where - how should I put this - her 'multiple' fantasies are graphically depicted?

Henry is shocked. He is happy at home vegetating with the television and relishes time with his newspapers. Confused, obstinate Henry refuses to participate in the manual’s ‘proposals’ that Alice enthusiastically reads out to him. And in doing so, Henry gives Alice no other option but to take decisive – D-word - action. (Chiswick's readers can decide on which ‘D' word they think is fitting.)

Henry shudders. He is gobsmacked. A ferocious argument follows- it is a ‘tour de force’ by both actors and ingeniously the writer has put in two contrapuntal monologues, allowing Henry and Alice to slag each other off like they've never done before.

The outcome is a SURPRISE. What a surprise!

Phoebe Barron’s direction is ‘spot on’: the pace is perfect as the talented duo have clearly been galvanised to respond intensely to each other’s moods. So much so that it’s like peeping through a hotel room’s keyhole listening to the rants thrown backwards and forwards by a frustrated couple as well as spying on their sultry attempts to regain the intimacy of their youth.

Felicity Duncan as Alice and Nick Raggett as Henry are perfectly cast - an instantly recognisable middle-aged couple whose children have ‘flown the nest’. They realise they're passed their supposed ‘sell-by date’; both have different visions of how their humdrum lives could change. Duncan and Raggett deliver flawless performances. Most of the time Alice oozes bubbles of warmth, whereas Henry’s head is enveloped by clouds of insecurity and confusion. Do look out for his solo, slowly evolving jig, wonderfully reminiscent of Hugh Grant’s jive in ‘Love Actually.’

Anna Bliss Scully creates an authentic luxury hotel bedroom on the small stage in the theatre and the softly seductive lighting, by Holly Ellis, compliments the room’s atmosphere.

‘Sexy Laundry’ - why the title?

If you are as curious as I was to find out the relevance of the play’s title then do grab tickets to see this delicious 80 minute romantic comedy at the Tabard Theatre. The wise and witty words in ‘Sexy Laundry’ will add zip to your step during these cold November nights. Quite frankly, I’m not sure you’ll ever look at 'laundry' in quite the same way!

You can also read Anne Flaherty's interview with Michele.

Susan Stanley-Carroll

November 12, 2018