Review: Foxton rocks to Jailhouse Frocks at the Little Theatre

The entire cast of Foxton's Little Theatre's performance of Jailhouse Frocks.

Opening night of The Jailhouse Frocks at the Foxton Little Theatre, written by Devon Williamson and directed by Ryan Burnell, was another sell-out performance.

The play takes place one rainy Friday evening in a police station in a sleepy American town.

Dim-witted Officer Dwayne's usually tranquil evening at the station is disturbed by the arrival and arrest of three unlikely women. The already chaotic situation descends into mayhem with the arrival of a New York gangster disguised as an FBI agent, hell-bent on exacting revenge on his wife who is locked in the cell.

This comedic farce is all set in one room, the police station and cell, and the small cast manage to keep the audience very entertained with witty one-liners, surprising musical interludes and formation of a gang of the three disparate women.

Officer Dwayne is excellently played by Neil Riddle who stands out as the main character. Although abandoned by his mother as a child, and socially rather awkward, Dwayne is incredibly upbeat.

He manages to evoke sympathy and cringeworthy embarrassment at some of his antics. Neil has a pretty good singing voice too as he sings a touching tribute to his absent mother.

The first woman to get arrested, Cathy Monroe, played by Sonya Grimstrup, is a cat lady just looking to get out of the rain. She tries anything to get arrested. Sonya was ludicrous and hilarious in the role. Her ability to make the audience laugh just by her facial expressions has to be commended.

Cathy is joined by Elena Davidson, played by Maria Jenkins, the drunk mayor's wife arrested for attacking her husband with a chainsaw.

Then Gloria Romano, played by Kim Stevenson, arrives trying to escape from her gangster husband Tony Romano, played by Waynne Napier.

This original play by New Zealander Williamson is surprisingly based in America. The whole cast managed to keep pretty good American accents going all evening, a feat in itself. Gloria, played by Kim Stevenson was undoubtedly a New Yorker, and the rest of the cast had more of a Southern drawl.

For a little town, Foxton Little Theatre managed to pull off another evening of great entertainment. The play runs on Friday and Saturday nights until December 5. Bookings can be made at Property Brokers, Foxton 06 3630022.