REVIEW: Tough Old Bird, Shakespeare North Playhouse
The world of cabaret act Nana Funk expands
NANA Funk is the alter ego of performer Angie Waller, accompanied by silent straight woman Val (Claire Jones).
For the purposes of Tough Old Bird, they comprise two thirds of one-time Coachella-headliners Nana and the Varifocals; but as time catches up with them, the death of band-mate Percussion Pat puts the reality of their advancing years into stark perspective.
Nana is tenacious and resolutely determined not to give in to a shy retirement. The OTT Lady Button hairdo and array of enjoyably garish bling-on-a-budget stage outfits illustrate that straight away - but while the mind is willing, the flesh is getting weaker.
Since first devising the character, Waller has used Nana Funk to satirise beauty standards, stick two fingers up to societal conventions, and stand up for the right of older people to be seen and heard. That much definitely hasn’t changed.
Known on the cabaret circuit for her blistering parody songs, comedy burlesque and audience Q&As, this one-act musical play offers something quite different though; all original songs and a convincing dramatic expansion of the… Funkiverse, if you will.
I’ve previously compared Nana and Val to a sort of Dame Edna and Madge dynamic, and although there is still lashings of daft comedy and slapstick, the relationship is altered, or evolved, for Tough Old Bird, to striking effect. Keyboardist Val, still the instrumental backbone of the act, brings a lot more pathos and wisdom in her silence reacting to Nana’s more emotional and headstrong behaviour.
You’ll laugh, you might cry, and you’ll certainly end up joining in. Life is better with this sort of entertainment in the world.
Quite like classic British comedy characters that began in sketch shows, like Alan Partridge, Ab Fab and so many more, to make a longer story work Nana Funk has had to find more to do and more people to do it with, incorporating new characters and filling in more back story. It is really very enjoyable to see this act continuing to develop into something bigger and better.
