On the 21st of July we were invited to see the theatre production “Fashion Spies” at the grand old joint stock pub and theatre in Birminghams city centre.
As we entered the pub we were welcomed by friendly staff and a bar with great selections. I found the whole pub to be beautifully decorated with a great vibe.
We decided to go and hang out in the Grand Chatwin Room located on the first floor whilst we waited. The bar had a huge range of beers on draught, spirits and classic bar snacks. The room was very glamorous with furniture that reminded me of 1920’s decor. A chilled out vibe with jazzy music playing in the background was a perfect way to start our evening.
The show was about to start, so, we made our way to the top floor and were greeted by the Staff – who were enthusiastic, welcoming and accommodating.
The audience were handed props such as a red and blue cloth, and two tubes to interact, the tubes would be used as pretend spy gadgets with the cast during the show. We then had to pick a random name badge off the table, this would be our character name throughout the performance building excitement, we were eager for the production to begin.
As we sat down the Actors came and spoke to everyone in their characters voices. One of the actresses, Eleanor Rattenbury – spoke to us in a sassy American accent and made us laugh, it was hard not to smile. The interaction was so amusing and comforting. Already we were part of the production and involved with the audience, who were in the heart of the show from the get-go.
We found ourselves being part of an undercover mission, travelling around the world with the rest of the room. Eleanor became our leader and we were assigned to go on a mission with her to retrieve the missing fashion pieces, just in time for the Burnwell-Upon-Tywnne fashion week. The cast really knew how to work the room and involve everyone. Using our two pieces of cloth to vote for what happened next in the production. The choice of what could happen next really sucked us in.
My favourite part was the use of fashion terminology and how they used the names of famous fashion magazines and turned them into hilarious decoy names. I particularly loved the use of different accents and really enjoyed hearing Jack, Abigail and Eleanor portray different nationalities.
I recommend this production to anyone who adores fashion, sass and comedy. These talented performers transport you to another dimension of acting. I would love to go and watch it again!
Words by Sophie Rose Walters for Grapevine Birmingham @sophieroseee1