'No Sex Please We're British'// Gold Coast Little Theatre

‘No Sex Please We’re British’ was a hoot.

Gold Coast Little Theatre’s latest production, ‘No Sex Please, We’re British’ keeps its audiences in stitches. This British farce (originally slated for a 2020 run) was directed by Dorothy Henderson, who also directed the theatre’s 1990 production of the show. It’s unlike GCLT to stage the same show twice, so it’s wonderful to see ‘No Sex Please, We’re British’ have a second life more than three decades later.

Chaos ensues at Peter and Frances Hunter’s flat when, instead of receiving the Scandinavian glassware they thought they had ordered, they are bombarded with…ahem…adult materials. Add to the mix an obliviously overbearing mother-in-law, a panicked colleague, a love-struck boss, a workplace inspection, and a criminal investigation into the mysterious appearances of said adult materials – it is plain to see why the Hunters are so stressed!

The show’s visual and technical elements were naturalistic, grounding the heightened nature of the text. The impeccably detailed emerald green set, designed by Ted Henderson, seemed deceivingly simple at first, but shortly roared to life. At times, the kitchen shutter seemed like a supporting character! Lawrie Esmond’s sound design was clever, too, featuring interesting voice and sound effects.

Henderson’s direction was sharp and witty; audiences barely had a moment to catch their breath before the next laugh. The blocking was crisp, with multiple moments of physical comedy.

Speaking of physical comedy, Bob Allen’s performance as Brian Runnicles was thrilling! Allen stole the show with his jocular delivery and gravity-defying stunts. Nina Khan reprised her 1990 role as the glamorous Eleanor Hunter and was a delight to watch. The central couple of the show– Ruth Henderson and Nick Shallish as Frances and Peter Hunter– were entertaining, compelling the audience to empathise with their situation. The remainder of the ensemble were amusing, with many making their GCLT stage debut.

In its West End debut, ‘No Sex Please, We’re British’ was adored by audiences, playing over 6,000 performances and GCLT’s production will likely be equally as cherished. Following the tumultuous and traumatising year that was 2020, Henderson has delivered a hysterical play that audiences won’t soon forget.

‘No Sex Please, We’re British’ plays until Sunday, 9 May 2021 at the Gold Coast Little Theatre. For more information, visit the company website.