Whenever I go to the theatre, or the cinema, I often try and make a point of not finding out too much about what I’m going to see. Over the years of being invited to review plays and productions I’ve really learnt to enjoy the surprise of experiencing something completely unexpected; so when I went to see Is That Too Hot? at The MAC recently, I didn’t really know what I was in for and I couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised as I sat in the very front row of the MAC’s downstairs theatre.
A sort of sequel to I’ll Tell My Ma (which I unfortunately haven’t seen), Patricia Gormley’s Is That Too Hot? brings back familiar characters to tell the story of Olive, the owner of the local hair salon ‘Buns R Us’ and all of the colourful customers and colleagues that frequent the salon.
A comedic two-hander, actors Christina Nelson and Roisin Gallagher do a sterling job of bringing multiple characters to life on stage from Jolene, a Saturday girl who aspires to be a stylist some day (if she can stop taking selfies long enough to listen to the sage words of Olive), and the cantankerous Granny Eileen, to newly engaged air hostess Chelsea Marie and the posh yet warm-hearted Mrs Kewes.
Set to a backing track of ABBA, the audience goes on a rollercoaster ride with these everyday characters that we have all seen in real life in some form and we laugh and cry with the characters every single step of the way. Each character has their own foibles which you really learn to love over the course of the play and having seen Is That Too Hot? I really hope that there’s a third instalment to this heartwarmingly hilarious story.
Is That Too Hot? is on a Belfast’s The MAC until 10th February, for more information or to book tickets click here.
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