Chalked hair, heavily applied lip liner wrinkles and a distinct lack of weary joints, Z Theatre Company’s Grannies with Guns attempts to make a comment on the privatisation and cuts made to the NHS, but can’t quite pop that bone into place.
Isolated in the “Old Grey Dog Care Home”, a group of elderly people find themselves at the mercy of head care worker, Mrs McDoom, who uses the residents as servants. When one of the troupe vanishes in the night, the biddies form a crime-fighting, superhero team to take her down.
Opening as quite a humorous take on growing old gracefully, much like a scene from the Still Game cutting room floor, the plot begins to lose its purpose and pace with the arrival of limelight hungry McDoom. Rushed in its delivery and lacking reason, Nathan Hall’s evil authoritarian falls extremely short of the Agatha Trunchbull mark it appears to be striving for.
Straying from realism into sketch show comedy, the incorporation of superheroes and special powers was only relevant for the duration of a slow-paced montage.
Katie Stones script contains some mildly humorous puns throughout, but tries too hard to be socially and politically current, whilst striving to match the recent successes of Marvel, with those who are short on marbles.
Times: 8-13 Aug, 8.05pm & 15-18 Aug, 2.10pm
Tickets: £3 - £5