Doreen’s Big Top, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre - review

It was ‘all they had in Ikea’ apparently and came flat-packed so they didn’t realise how big the big top/small tent was going to be!

While health and safety red tape meant that the planned circus activities (involving lions and cannons) had been ruled out so there would be no ‘danger, skill, excitement or any form of entertainment whatsoever,’ Doreen announced from the off.

But she couldn’t have been more wrong, this show is more than just entertaining. It is incredibly funny, sharp satire perfectly executed with a combination of stand-up and sketches – all done with a Black Country twist.

A running theme through the show is, of course, the circus or more exactly the Circus of Madness we find ourselves living in.

From the Circus of Westminster, to ‘political correctness gone mad’ to the headlines you never thought you would read, the spectre of modern Britain’s madness is explored. All watched by Donald Trunk - the large, inflatable ‘elephant in the room’.

Doreen even has her own YamYam party with a Minister for Common Sense. Frankly, she was pretty persuasive in her arguments and made the other parties look like a bunch of clowns – keeping in with the circus theme.

I was particularly won over by her campaign to defeat the ‘Walking Dead’, the growing army of humourless zombies in a perpetual state of offendedness.

And as ever, Doreen likes to educate her audiences with images and footage on a big screen explaining such interesting topics as the origins of the circus – in Staffordshire 250 years ago, who knew? – and giving examples of circus ‘freaks’ from the past and more recent times.

This is not the Doreen Tipton that people will see gracing the same stage in pantomime in a few weeks. Her language is more colourful and the topics often a little saucy – picture Doreen dressed as a ringmaster, walking around whilst lashing her whip and quoting a dominatrix!

The second half seemed to be a little racier and more shocking including a section on things put up the bottom which was quite educational if somewhat horrific. As was the film contribution from the Circus of Horrors which, from the bits I had my eyes open for, was quite unpalatable.

Evident throughout the whole show was the versatility and talent of Gill Jordan, our Doreen. Not only does she deliver the much-loved self-styled Queen of the Black Country, but she also plays a range of amusing characters in a series of sketches on the big screen. We are even treated to a little escapology – is there no end to the Lazy Cow’s talents?

And she has a strong voice which comes to the fore as she leads the audience in a series of singalongs, the highlight being Doreen’s Old Time Political Music Hall.

Taking a host of music hall favourites, the lyrics are changed to introduce the politicians of our time, completely irreverently to all parties of course, and offered up karaoke-style for us all to join in. The audience was only too happy to oblige.

Doreen led the singing whilst firing through a series of very quick costume changes. It was a highlight of a very funny show.

This is Doreen’s final tour so catch her if you can – she’s a bostin loff!