Ding dong the witch is back and she has landed in the heart of York city centre. With a packed out crowd, people came from far and wide to witness a show which combines political satire with a musical extravaganza. Thatcher remains an icon to this day which, through her dominance and political policies in the 80s, never fails to bring people together in the hope that she will be mocked and put back in her place. And this show doesn’t disappoint.
This pink, glittery cabaret only keeps on getting funnier and funnier.
Through the show ‘Maggie’, backed by her glamourous assistants The Wets, takes the audience on a journey of how she faced an important decision on the vote of Section 28, a homophobic bill designed to stop the implementation of teaching about homosexuality in schools. Through her wit and numerous musical performances she recounts how her decision on this act led her to wander into Soho and turn into the musical star she is today who has a regular spot performing at G-A-Y. ‘Where there is disco may we bring harmonies’.
From the moment Matt Tedford walks on stage you know you are in for a treat. Dressed in a blue cardigan, pearls and the obligatory black handbag situated on the elbow, he enthrals the audience from the start by singing along to YMCA and claiming that this will be ‘the greatest theatrical experience of your life’. What is so brilliant is the dialogue of the show, as the language of Soho is heard through Thatcher’s voice creating a comical paradox.
This pink, glittery cabaret only keeps on getting funnier and funnier. Her assistants The Wets at times threaten to steal the limelight through their larger than life impersonationsof characters such as Jill Knight, who turns into a pantomime villain and Peter Tachell, a renowned human rights campaigner who is obnoxiously rude yet strangely attractive. The stand out cameo of the evening though has to be the portrait of Winston Churchill who, in Maggie’s attempt to ask advice, comes out the closest himself to the surprise of all, which Turner states was ‘thanks to Wikipedia.’
This show combines an 80s glitter musical extravaganza with political satire to great affect so come and down and catch it if you can because ‘Baby she’s got it!’
