After extremely profitable runs at each the Edinburgh Fringe Pageant and Southwark Playhouse in 2023, Police Cops: The Musical is again. Promising to be larger and higher than ever, the all singing, all dancing, all weapons blazing Police Cops returns to Southwark Playhouse and London audiences can return to the “US 80s” with extra insanity, extra jokes and much more fortunate eggs.
USA, 1985: Rookie Police Cop Jimmy Johnson joined the power to guard and serve. However now Jimmy’s in deep, partnered up with a renegade Police Cop and leaned on by a racist Chief. With weapons loaded and security catches off, Jimmy’s on a freewheeling journey from the imply streets of America to Mexico, the place future awaits within the type of grizzled ex-Police Cop Juanita Gonzalez.
Police Cops: The Musical options authentic Police Cops Zachary Hunt as Jimmy, Nathan Parkinson as Police Cop Chief/Hernandez and Tom Roe as ex-Police Cop Harrison with Melinda Orengo as Rosa and Natassia Bustamante as Gonzalez/Billie alongside for the experience.
Whether or not he’s quoting Charlie and the Chocolate Manufacturing facility to win over a crush, preventing crime and fixing a thriller or going naked chested as a result of… um… abs… Zachary Hunt is completely hilarious. As our middle-aged man in a outsized t-shirt to look youthful, Hunt performs main man Jimmy with an infectious power. Flipping, rolling and galivanting across the stage Hunt delivers a laugh-a-minute efficiency with vocals at dwelling on any west finish stage.
Tom Roe delivers an equally enchanting efficiency as down on his luck ex-Police Cop Harrison. Harrison’s tough across the edges allure is performed to perfection by Roe as he grumbles his manner across the stage flicking cigarettes at random viewers members.
Nathan Parkinson has quite a lot of enjoyable because the ridiculous Police Cop Chief (with actual legs) and unhealthy man Hernandez, typically cleverly disguised as a cat. All three Police Cops creators appear absolutely of their ingredient on this present with each Roe and Parkinson permitting moments of improv describing their childhood candy store recollections to riotous laughter.
Melinda Orengo provides a shocking efficiency because the younger Rosa, the guts of the story. Uproariously humorous all through, Orengo additionally delivers a vocal efficiency that might rival any west finish stage on the high of Act Two being a present spotlight.
Natassia Bustamante shines as each Gonzalez and Jimmy’s sister-father Billie. Hilariously falling in love with a racist viewers member, Bustamante has quite a lot of enjoyable with excessive ex-Police Cop Chief Gonzalez and her Billie is nice and unassuming. Each Bustamante and Orengo give energetic, bodily performances simply becoming the Police Cops architype.
Delivering tour-de-force performances all spherical, the forged work exceptionally nicely as an ensemble. Enjoying a number of characters all through, with fast adjustments galore, they deserved their standing ovation and a number of rounds of applause on the finish of the present.
What’s a musical with out its songs? With lyrics by Police Cops creators Zachary Hunt, Nathan Parkinson and Tom Roe and music by Ben Adams (Eugenius) the rating of Police Cops: The Musical delivers buckets of enjoyable. The rating itself combines totally different kinds with a musical theatre flare to ship hummable tunes, witty lyrics and side-splitting humour. I can’t be the one one gunning for a forged recording?!
Matt Cole’s choreography is inventive, slick and utterly at dwelling in any such present and Andrew Exeter’s set and lighting design mix to take audiences on a wild experience from the US 80s to Mexico and past.
What makes Police Cops: The Musical particular is its intelligent, irreverent humour. Paying homage to hit-musicals The Poisonous Avenger and Reefer Insanity, Police Cops doesn’t take itself too critically whereas realizing precisely what it’s doing each step of the best way. Similar to these cult classics, it’s that uncommon gem of a present that tickles your humorous bone in all the best methods. Polished to perfection, Police Cops: The Musical ensures a night of sheer delight, leaving you grinning from ear to ear.
Make a journey again to the “US 80s” and catch Police Cops: The Musical at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, working till April twentieth.
