Reviewer: Daniel Shipman
Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Royal Exchange has a solid reputation for outstanding, non-pantomime Christmas shows, and Betty (written by and starring Maxine Peake) is no exception. Described as ‘a sort of musical’, Betty follows the misadventures of the Dewsbury Players as they attempt to mount a Christmas show which traces the life of Betty Boothroyd – Dewsbury native and the first female speaker of parliament.
There is so much to enjoy here, and part of that is the cheeky lilt to Peake’s script.
If this sounds like intentionally obscure material for a show, that’s because it is. There is so much to enjoy here, and part of that is the cheeky lilt to Peake’s script. Her writing contains wit in such abundance that even niche source material feels universally accessible. Her performance is similarly outstanding, straddling the line of snobby villain and beating heart of the group with precision.
It may sound like a lazy comparison in light of the ‘Maxine Peake’ connection, but there is so much of Victoria Wood’s heart and humour here. The ability to cram multiple laughs into each and every minute whilst also imbuing the script with so much sincere emotion feels like a uniquely northern tradition, and it is more than safe in Peake’s hands. I left having cried tears of both joy and empathy, and that is all one can really ask from a night at the theatre.
Every member of the cast is truly perfection.
Every member of the cast is truly perfection. They look and sound like real am-dram group members. They don’t suddenly spring into Olivier-worthy voices at the drop of a sequinned hat, which demonstrates an admirable lightness of touch in Sarah Frankcom’s direction. This makes you feel as though you’ve never actually left a village hall in Dewsbury – the performers are transported by ‘the magic of theatre’ in the same way the audience are (there is a notable exception to this, but I refuse to say anymore – go and see it to find out).
References to late twentieth-century politics and popular culture whistle past at lightning speed. It’s probably impossible to catch every single one on a first viewing, but that’s okay – the quality and density of the script means that another one (of equally sublime quality) will be here in a matter of moments, and it will have your sides splitting. By the end of the first act, I would have been worrying that I was bothering my neighbours with my constant belly laughs, were it not for the fact that they were in the same state.
One thing is for certain though – Betty is a BLAST.
-Daniel Shipman
Betty! A Sort of Musical runs at the Royal Exchange Theatre until 14 January 2023.