Welcome to Pamela’s Palace. Is it just a trim for you today, my love?
Pamela's Palace offers a treatment we are all in need of
Pamela’s Palace is a joyous and farcical hour of high-energy musical nonsense. Beauty extraordinaire Pamela is preparing for the finals of the prestigious Salon of the Year competition, but there is trouble on the block as rival Dante (that’s Dante Alicante) also manages to secure a place in a last minute bid for success. As salon assistant Bronwyn is sent undercover to suss out the competition, things are complicated by the discovery that colleague Tiffany is dating him. As a cobweb of lies begins to untangle and tensions rise, it seems that someone might just get cut…
It is a gloriously funny production that relies on well-intentioned audience interaction to facilitate the storyline, but what makes tonight’s performance particularly hilarious is the bombardment of bad luck the actors receive. Props get stuck in the glitzy net curtains, quick-changes result in the wrong costumes being worn and an unsuspecting audience member really end up getting her hair cut (with a fringe, of all styles). It makes no match for our razor-sharp protagonists, however, and they effortlessly incorporate the mishaps into triumphant moments of improvised brilliance. There is no doubt as to the fun they are having on stage, and we have fun along with them.
Soon, though, the plot thickens and it seems that Dante (that’s Dante Alicante) may not be the kind-hearted soul he makes himself out to be. In fact, it seems that his relationship with Tiffany might have been built on the ulterior motives of the underground hairdressing scene. Though Tiff had originally been prepared to leave the sausage rolls of Pamela’s Palace for the sweet pastry of Dante (yes, that does make sense), Pamela finds it in her heart to forgive her and offer Tiff her job back. After all, there is nothing stronger than the sisterhood of scissor-hood.
Bold, bright and brilliant – Pamela’s Palace offers a treatment we are all in need of.
