CHIN CHIN Nottingham Theatre Royal until Friday 1 November 2013

CHIN CHIN
Nottingham Theatre Royal until Friday 1 November 2013

Starring Felicity Kendall and Simon Callow, this is a lovely gentle comedy, with just a few profanities thrown in, but only in the second act (I didn't realise they swore in the 50's where this comedy was set).

Pamela and Cesareo (Kendall and Callow respectively), are thrown together due to the infidelity of their partners, and initially meet at an outdoor Parisian cafe where they try and work out what they need to do to get their husband and wife back. With the help of sumptuous amounts of alcohol consumed initially by Cesareo, and then Pamela, they decide that this plan wasn't worth it and would move in together, along with Pamela's son, Bobby, who winds up being our two main character's meal ticket back to Cesareo's homeland of Italy.

There's lots of laughs along the way and, although there were other actors on stage to link the different scenes together, Felicity and Simon showed why they are actors at the top of their league, Simon even smoothly dealing with one of those prop doors that just wouldn't stay shut with true professionalism.

The scenery was changed and moved around seamlessly (bar the troublesome door section), and apart from some backstage noise occasionally, the acoustic element of the comedy was spot on and you could hear every word which always helps when a gag line is delivered.

Coming in at just under two hours, including the intermission, it's nicely timed so that you don't get bored with the minimalist storyline.

If you were wondering where the title of the comedy came from, as I was, it's from the many salutations made by the two characters before taking a drink or several.

Well worth a view even if it's just to see two seasoned professionals in their native environment, and don't they both look good on their combined 131 years of age, and the elder of the pair looked very sexy in her trenchcoat!!