Hen Night Horror
By Fraser Boyle and Ali Cleland
Presented by 5 Brick May productions
21 June 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A scream!
Hen Night Horror is a new comedy musical bursting with lively original music and uproarious Scottish humour. Written by Ayrshire panto legends Fraser Boyle and Ali Cleland, Hen Night Horror is full of the adult gags and language that can't be aired during family friendly pantomimes.
Five years in the making, Hen Night Horror is a fast paced, blisteringly funny and ingenious new production that, despite this being it's world premier, is already polished and as pretty as a picture.
We join bride to be Amanda (Kim Shepherd), and bridesmaids Lydia (Louise McCarthy) and Donna (Frances Thorburn), in a remote cabin in the woods a few days before Amanda's dream wedding. Tensions are high as Amanda wants to capture lots of perfect content for her social media, while reluctant Lydia and Donna bicker constantly. The dialogue between the girls is sharp and biting but rings true of any close group of Scottish friends. The quality of Boyle's writing is immediately evident and it's delivered with verve by this terrific trio.
Things soon take a darker turn when the hen's realise they are not alone. In some intricately choreographed scenes, Mr Jeffries (Alan Orr) and PC Walters (Matthew McKenna) appear just out of eyesight of the ladies in the lodge, but in full view of the audience. It's very reminiscent of panto, so much so that some of the audience shouted out "he's behind you." It's impossible to talk about the men's roles further without introducing spoilers, but both are unforgettable characters who will have you in stitches.
Hen Night Horror does not take itself too seriously: it's a farce and it's written as such. The laughs come so quick that I feared for the health of many audience members. To write a brand new musical comedy is incredibly difficult in itself (I would imagine!), but to introduce horror moments too, and to finely balance the humour with the terror so successfully as is done here is an astonishing achievement. It's a breath of fresh highland air.
Complimenting Boyles book perfectly, the original songs by Ali Cleland are utterly bonkers but perfectly pitched. The show opens with "(There's A) W*nker in the woods!" and that sets the tone for the evening perfectly. Kim Shepherd is a stunning singer and her voice soars in every musical number. Surprise of the night for me was Matthew McKenna's voice - I knew he was funny, but his singing voice is astonishing. Song and performance of the show for me was McKenna's "Show Me Yer T*ts!" I may never recover from the sheer genius and joy of that number and the last 15 minutes of this show.
The small company of five performers are all excellent and I'm willing to bet this show will be the most fun they've ever had on stage. But Louise McCarthy delivers a comedy masterclass: she is simply exquisite. McCarthy is arguably the finest comedy actor in Scotland at present. Her physical comedy, her facial expressions, her mannerisms and delivery of every line and every action in Hen Night Horror is excruciatingly hilarious. She is fabulously fearless.
The set for Hen Night Horror from Adrian Rees is simple but perfect, and looks more opulent than many big budget plays I've seen recently. The moon is an eye-catching addition, and the lighting from James Brendan Cusker is sensational, adding drama and style. I'm genuinely stunned by how good this show looks so early in it's life. But that's testament to the obvious time and love that Boyle and Cleland have dedicated to this project.
If you're looking for a night-out full of feisty fun and hilarity, catch Hen Night Horror on tour across Scotland this summer. It's a scream.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📸 Production photos: ©AMD Studios
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Hen Night Horror Cast and Creatives
Lydia Moonie Louise McCarthy
Donna Nesbitt Frances Thorburn
Amanda MacNamee Kim Shepherd
Mr Jeffries Alan Orr
PC Walters Matthew McKenna
Understudy Craig McDougall
Understudy Jennifer Neil
Producers 5 Brick May, Imagine Theatre
Writer Fraser Boyle
Music and Lyrics Ali Cleland
Directors Fraser Boyle and Eric Potts
Choreographer Chris Stuart Wilson
Musical Director Ali Cleland
Set Design Adrian Rees
Lighting Design James Brendan Cusker
Sound Design David Edmunds and Sam Poulten
Hen Night Horror Scottish Tour 2024
Glasgow Pavilion Theatre trafalgartickets.com
Thu 20 Jun – Sat 22 Jun
Reconnect Howden Park, Livingston Howdenparkcentre.co.uk
Sat 29 Jun
Arbroath Webster Memorial Theatre angusalive.scot
Fri 05 Jul
Dundee Rep dundeerep.co.uk
Tues 09 & Wed 10 Jul
Beacon Arts Centre Beaconartscentre.co.uk
Sat 13 Jul
Ayr Gaiety Theatre Thegaiety.co.uk
Sat 16 Jul
Eden Court Inverness eden-court.co.uk
Fri 19 – Sat 20 Jul
⌚ Times vary please see venue websites for details.
⚠️ Age recommendation 16+. Contains adult humour and some strong language.
Hen Night Horror review, Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow June 2024. Fraser Boyle, Ali Cleland, Kim Shepherd, Louise McCarthy, Frances Thorburn, Matthew McKenna, Alan Orr, Scottish Tour.
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🎟️ Disclosure: I was invited to review this show and received a complimentary ticket in exchange. Neither the venue nor show has a say in what I write. I'm completely independent and invites have no impact on my analysis or star ratings.
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