Audience rocked with laughter from start to finish

The historic, first ever Arts Centre in Britain, established in 1946 in an 18th Century Regency terrace house at Bridgwater, has an enviable reputation for presenting top quality entertainment, including innovative theatre productions. Continuing its proud tradition last Saturday, 17th February, for one tragically short night only, a discerning audience rocked with laughter from start to finish of “Hello Dalai”, a brilliantly re-conceived plotting of the 1930s film, 'Lost Horizon'.

This funnier version, devised by the company of 3 performers + Director, Cal McCrystal, throws out the self-conscious homily of the original: 'Eastern simplicity being superior to Western materialism' & substitutes a rudely scripted hoot, including some very crude words, but applied so artfully as to eliminate any danger of offence (except among the most humorless moralists).

Last summer, in The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, this superbly funny production was spotted by Arts Centre Director, Charlie Dearden who, knowing a winner when she sees one, booked the company, curiously named 'Piggy Nero', to visit Bridgwater. And it was jolly good thing that she did.

The promised 'partial nudity' included a laughable pseudo sumo wrestling match between semi-sumo-built Jamie Glassman & frail (by comparison) Mathew Baynton. This near naked element of mock male conflict was often complimented by several seductive appearances of partially-rounded beauty, Clare Thomson in a bikini. Ms.Thomson is not fat, but she pokes fun at the deliberately distended roundness of her charming tummy. Now, I can appreciate why Arabian sheikhs value their belly-dancers so highly.

The quality of performance from both the guys is top-rate. Glassman's bulk & masterful delivery of comic lines is reminiscent of Alexei Sayle, but less morose, more fun, & at least as wicked. Baynton's forte, surpassing even his splendid portrayal of simple-minded, love-lorn foolishness, is his lyrical singing voice, delicately accompanied by his acoustic guitar. These two actors alone could sustain more than a merry hour, giving enjoyment by taking enjoyment in the sheer fun of their stage-skills, which seem spontaneous, yet are evidently, artistry perfected.

But, imagining these two men as 'lilies', they are 'gilded' by the vivacious talent of Clare Thomson; blonde & pretty, graced with a tremendous facility for outright naughtiness that turns many a joke against herself. Her exquisite, rapidly spoken tongue-twisters & lively face are irrepressibly joyous & her physical agility enhances our pleasure in her stage-presence.

This lady has no need of her voluptuous body to make her endlessly watchable, but with it, & flaunting it to such delightful & funny effect, Clare Thomson might soon grace our TV screens as a worthy successor to both Victoria Wood & the lamented Joyce Grenfell, not only by her top-rate performing ability but perhaps also, in creative invention. (Somerset! You heard of her here, first).

Laughter is also provoked by the ingeniously simple set & hilariously 'cheated' scenic effects from behind a backlit screen, all designed by Lucy Bradridge. Excellent lighting is devised by Nick Flintoff who also operates sounds and other technical effects. “Hello Dalai” was the second production by Piggy Nero whose debut show “The Bubonic Play”, with this same cast, won an award at Edinburgh Fringe 2005. This is the sort of show that will surely entice lapsed playgoers out of televisual isolation, back into theatres, where they'll share cultural experience with other live human-beings: (Can I say this on a BBC website?) “Hello Dalai” offers intelligent, broad-minded wit, stimulating the intellect without pandering to the high-brow.

Let's have Piggy Nero productions at Bridgwater Arts Centre, and everywhere else, every year from now on.

Arthur Duncan, BBC, 17th February 07