The strobes lights were in full force, the show tunes loud with everyone dancing, and four Loose Women kept us entertained for a Friday night of ‘Loose Women Live’. Swapping the TV screen for the stage, we were invited to join their panel and be part of an unfiltered show. Loose Women being the iconic day time show that it is, exploring issues ranging from the serious and sad, to the funny and downright risqué, has been on our screens for almost 25 years. In this time we have grown to love certain Loose Women and welcome them in to our hearts from our screens, listening to their problems and anecdotes, relating and laughing along the way. And this familiarity offers a sense of comfort – the audience are wanting a good time, unified by a love for these ladies and their chatter, and the Loose Women in return are clearly keen to have a good time too.
The live tour version takes on a similar format to the familiar TV show. We begin with some stories about how the ladies became Loose Women, and follow on with pre-chosen prompt questions from envelopes, which was possibly the most successful part of the evening. During the Manchester show, we received a balanced debate from the panellists about ‘how often you should have sex with your significant other?’ and this allowed for witty anecdotes as well as a sense of collaboration, as all the Loose women voices were heard on stage, as well as the audience who were asked to shout out what they thought. This followed on with a game of ‘Never have I ever’ and then discussion questions as submitted by the audience using QR codes during the intermission. The room was filled with happy energy, and it was nice to feel part of a collective.
For this particular show in Manchester we were entertained and engaging with Christine Lampard (host), Frankie Bridge, Denise Welch, and Nadia Sawalha. While Loose Women as a programme can be quite divisive, it was clear that everyone in the audience was engaged and up for a great time, and the show delivered this in spades. Each lady had their own style, with Christine, Denise, and Nadia exuding energy throughout! Christine did a great job on her first show of the tour directing the conversation in an unfamiliar setting, and was even given a buzzer to help control the panel, which turned in to a cue for Denise to launch into one dirty joke after another. Nadia brought a level of vulnerability and honesty which was refreshing and tonally a needed contrast to remind us of the power these ladies have to discuss issues of real importance, as well as making us laugh. There was also a special guest for the evening, which added a level of realism as if we could have been in the studio too! They provided new energy and help to round off the evening nicely.
If anything was lacking, it was that the show needed some more time and issues to stir debate, as well as more successful audience participation. Sometimes audience members’ voices went unheard due to the rowdy atmosphere, so perhaps microphones for us too would have been an improvement. But there is no doubt that if you attend then you will laugh and leave loving these loose ladies and their community even more.
Reviewer: Amanda Sarah Hodgson
Reviewed: 8th September 2023
North West End UK Rating: