Waiting for Gateaux

Published Friday 15 April 2005 at 10:20 by Chris Collett

Any producer currently looking for their next hit would do well to put their money behind Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood’s latest play, Waiting for Gateaux. More Godber than Godot, it is a highly entertaining feelgood comedy that had its sellout audience herniating with laughter.

Set in a run-down village hall it follows the members of a failing slimming club as they struggle to shed the pounds in anticipation of appearing in a new reality TV show. But their showbiz aspirations are thwarted when they fail to resist the allure of fast food and media executive Sophie reveals she has an ulterior motive. What follows is a parodic siege situation full of well executed pieces of visual comedy spliced with knowing nods to Reservoir Dogs, The Great Escape and Dad’s Army.

Waugh and Wood are remorseless in their pursuit of laughs and the gags fall thick and fast. Furthermore, the pair have created a likeable group of characters with commonplace weaknesses that resonate with ordinary people. You really feel for cuddly widower Maureen when she takes off all her jewellery before stepping on the scales and for bumbling bachelor Donald as he plucks up the courage to ask her on a date.

Director Jackie Fielding, meanwhile, is very in tune with Waugh and Wood’s writing, skillfully orchestrating the farcical set pieces and coaxing excellent performances from a strong cast.

Waiting for Gateaux has ‘hit’ written all over it and if it were to go on a national tour it would be box office takings being counted not calories.