REVIEW: The F-Bomb Theatre and New Celts Productions presents Afterparty

‘It’s not a crime to have fun.’ A tag-line that sets the precedent beautifully for this one-act show presented by women’s theatre company F-Bomb Theatre.

Written by award-winning playwright Rachel O’Regan and directed by Hannah McEachern, the story follows the journey of five hormone-fuelled teenagers who are celebrating the end of their school days with a night on the tiles. Of course, the girls’ wild night doesn’t quite go to plan and they find themselves enduring 300 hours of community service – orange boiler suits and all.

The all-female cast – which includes Sally Cairns, Linzi Devers, Kirsten Hutchison, Emily Pemberton and Annie Welsh – vowed to provide an entertaining, glitter-filled night out for their audience, and they succeeded in doing so with great panache, confidence and wit.

Comedic tropes and one-liners were delivered seamlessly by all five of the cast members, indeed their timing was impeccable. Standout performances came from Linzi Devers (who played an impressionable character called Jess) and Kirsten Hutchison (whose character Corrie is arguably the leader of the pack).

Afterparty (Photo: Rachel O’Regan)

Linzi’s body language and facial expressions fitted her character’s dreamy disposition perfectly, while Kirsten was the life and soul of the party and lit up the stage with her performance of a stroppy teen who enjoys a tipple or two. There was not a foot wrong or word out of place throughout the entire show.

Having been advertised as a confetti-covered comedy show, I do wish the heavier narratives – including teen angst and group disagreements – had commandeered less of the one-hour show. More of the light relief that we see at the beginning of the show would have been welcome.

Nevertheless, I found myself entirely invested in the plot and admired the creativity of the whole production, working with minimal props and backdrops. An entertaining hour of escapism.

(Strong language, 16+).

The F-Bomb Theatre and New Celts Produtions presents Afterparty, The Space Triplex (Venue 38) until 28 August. Tickets cost £9.50 (£6.50 concession) and can be purchased at www.edfringe.com

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