This skilled tongue-in-cheek comedy teeters on the brink of musical theatre and mines the genre for all it is worth. The performances of the all-female ensemble cast are notably tight and professional, with well-constructed vocal harmonies and some very effective and humorous choreography. We follow the group as they journey across a mountain in search of the truth about Berta, a member of their party lost down a precipice a year to the day. Along the way they encounter both physical and emotional obstacles, including a hilarious ‘mountain man’, and never without an accompanying song!
Striking elements here include an advanced use of physicality – sleeping bags become cavernous spaces, bodies create unusual tableaux and pace is used to great effect. The timing of such movements is absolute and breathtaking, with an element of surprise that is invigorating to watch. Heightened characterisation and effective use of facial expressions enhance the strong performances, enabling the farcical narrative to gain an avalanche of momentum that sweeps the audience along nicely for the most part. Each role is well defined and shaped, with stand-out characters for me being Freda and Trudy in terms of line delivery and communication with the audience. The climax of the piece was a slight sticking point, where dialogue could perhaps have been tempered a little to avoid a ‘wall of noise’ which momentarily disengaged me. However, in all this is an extremely well executed and humorous piece, with accomplished performances and a satisfyingly abstract tone.