Director, Robert Softly Gale shows that disability is no impediment at all for making great theatre and scoring a five-star hit. The current artistic Director of Glasgow based, disability centred, Birds of Paradise theatre, teams up with The Traverse theatre to bring the gallus patter of Glasgow to the more refined East coast for this World premier of a show which could easily become a classic of the Scottish theatre circuit for many years to come.
Fearless acting talent, Sean Connor as Sean (handy) and Cameron Fulton as Daro give truth to Laurie Motherwell’s brilliantly hilarious script which follows the fortunes of the two likely lads as they double-handedly take on the world from behind the ice cream van counter.
As if to make even more room, in what is a packed theatre, the stage is also set with another 20 additional seats which the audience gladly filled up. Sean and Daro’s interaction with the stage seated audience is all part of the comedy and gives this performance even more edge (As if it needed it!).
Motor-mouth patter-merchant Daro convinces his old school mate, Uni drop out, Sean to follow in the footsteps of Branson, Sugar and Bannatyne to become an entrepreneur and invest what little money he doesn’t have in his ice-cream dream and Whippy Bros. (est 2023) is born. After all, as Daro waxes lyrical, at every second of every day, ‘someone somewhere is having a cone’. And, ‘don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there’s footprints on the ****ing moon’.
At the centre of the show is the relationship between Daro and Sean. The two quickly discover that the ice cream business is anything but a Sundae stroll. Will their friendship stay solid, or will it end up a soggy mess?
In what is perhaps the highlight of the show, the Julie Andrew’s song Do-Re-Mi is given a Glasgow makeover to remember as the boys seek to open up new late-night markets for the ice cream business, with entirely predictable results.
This is a show that pulls few punches, with plenty of ‘street’ language and sexual references and is absolutely hilarious for it! Yep! It’s a belter!
Running till Sunday 23rd April, https://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/event/sean-and-daro-flake-it-til-they-make-it
Reviewer: Greg Holstead
Reviewed: 15th April 2023
North West End UK Rating: ★★★★★
Running time – 1hrs 30Mins