Review: Grumpy Old Women - Fifty Shades of Beige, Ipswich Regent

Susie Blake, Jenny Eclair and Kate Robbins in Grumpy Old Women Fifty Shades of Beige (Image: Archant)

I’ve never been to a Grumpy’s evening before, I thought maybe I wasn’t the right age. But this show is about all of womenkind, the trials and tribulations of being female, and it was both encouraging and hilarious.

Perrier Award-winning comedian, writer and original star of Grumpy Old Women Jenny Eclair was joined by fellow recruits Susie Blake (Mrs Brown’s Boys, Coronation Street) and actress and singer Kate Robbins (Where The Heart Is, Casualty) in this new show set about putting to rights the idea that maybe you are the only one who can’t cope with the joys of hot flushes or are distressed by the onset of middle age invisibility.

The set was a lady shed out of which emerged the three women in space suits to a variety of space-related theme tunes. So began our lessons in learning the art of grumpy grooming, the joy of large pants, a free nagging master class and how to get your own way without him even noticing, an anger management workshop, the rules to middle-aged drinking, navigating the smorgasbord of worry, how to customise an unwanted pole dancing kit and a mercifully brief Zumba demonstration.

Pretending to be Jane Bond or dressed in onesies, this was stand-up comedy by women for women that was genuinelu laugh out loud all through. Mostly good clean fun – nothing too embarrassing or risqué – the three have judged their audience just right.

Chatting to the audience, this was fast moving and entertaining with never a dull moment. A thoroughly enjoyable evening that I would recommend if the women return this way – which I am sure they will.

Read entertainment writer Wayne Savage’s interview with Suzie Blake here.

Suzanne Hawkes