Les | Paul Wilson
Judd | Phil Simcox
Lucky Eric | Kim Harris
Ralph | Ross Lowe

Director | Barry Taylor
Designer | Kim Harris
Lighting / Sound Design | Andrew Onion
Choreography | Sarah Brice & Chris Parkes
Video Design | Fourblokes
Original Music | Barry Taylor
Website Design | Paul Wilson
Production Photography | Colin Tomlinson
Production Co-ordinator | Julia Allsop

A Performance of John Godber’s Bouncers by a company calling itself Fourblokes? Sounds like a one-off. Happily not – these blokes have hit upon the idea of staging plays and musicals for small casts. After this dynamic debut, I can’t wait for more.

The show opens with the image of a giant, clenched fist. At the close, it ought to have appeared punching the air in salute – to an exhilarating ensemble-effort, resoundingly applauded by a sell-out audience, comprising an encouraging proportion of young people.

Ironically, these are the very sort of people who could have stepped out of the Guildhall to replicate the experience related on stage: downing copious lagers and a vindaloo, before hitting the nightclubs in a desperate search for carnal knowledge – a ritual of drinking, dancing, groping, vomiting and violence. That makes Bouncers sound like an ugly night of concerned social comment. On the contrary, Godber’s play ia a rollicking, high-energy revue, delivered with great brio by four versatile and focused actors, astutely directed by Barry Taylor with sharp attention to slick pacing, quicksilver timing and synchronised music.

All four blokes (pictured from left) Phil Simcox, Kim Harris, Paul Wilson and Ross Lowe, are a triumph, not only as hard-as-nails, in-yer-face bouncers (Paul’s manic, goggle-eyed look is the stuff of nightmares), but also in their numerous other roles, as both guys and girls on the razzle, plus an assortment of hairdressers, punks, Liverpudlians, Swedish porn stars, DJ, video-shop owner and even Elvis impersonators, with a rousing re-run of Jacko’s Thriller video to climax a tough, saucy, salacious, hilarious show.

Fourblookes has taken amateur theatre to a new level by touring Bouncers. On the basis of this show, it’s thrillingly poised to take it to a new level of quality.

Watch out in November for its production of Tony Marchant’s play about Falklands squaddies, Welcome Home.

Ashley Franklin | Tues 21st March 2006

Hilarious on debut night

Seriously funny and seriously rude, John Godber’s exhilarating comedy gives a no holds barred vision of urban nightlife and follows the escapades of four pals on a night out on the pull with unflinching realism.

Set against a backdrop of glitz, glamour, booze, bopping, violence and vomit, Bouncers is not for the fainthearted and Four Blokes Theatre Company make a massive impression with this fantastic debut production.

The four bouncers Judd, Ralph, Les and Lucky Eric, played by Phil Simcox, Ross Lowe, Paul Wilson and Kim Harris, ensure anyone entering Mr Cinders Night Club does so at their peril.

Directed by Barry Taylor, there are hilarious irreverent moments as punks, footie fans and mouthy drunks put the bouncers to the test.

Four Blokes play it for laughs

Staged at Arnold’s Bonington Theatre, the Four Blokes theatre company wowed audiences with their debut production ‘Bouncers.’

Directed by Barry Taylor, of Ilkeston and featuring the immense talents of Kim Harris, of Marlpool, Paul Wilson of Ilkeston, Phil Simcox, of Smalley and Ross Lowe of Breaston.

Seriously funny and rude, John Godber’s exhilarating comedy gave a fascinating no holds barred vision of urban nightlife in 2005. Set against a backdrop of glitz, glamour, booze, bopping, violence and vomit, Bouncers is a full of irreverent moments as punks, footie fans, and mouthy drunks and love goddesses Maureen, Rosie, Plain Elaine and Suzy put the Bouncers at Mr Cinders nightclub to the test.

A superb take on Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and a catchy bouncer’s rap were the highlights of a production that was a triumph of teamwork. Following the success of three shows staged at Bonington Theatre the Four Blokes theatre company will be looking to build upon a promising start with further performances of Bouncers at theatres in Derby and Leicester.

Fab four are true professionals

John Godber’s play, Bouncers was nominated for comedy of the year in 1885, and is just one of his successful stable of plays.

It’s the story of four guys working the door of a typical nightclub in a typical city.

Kitted out in their uniform of monkey suits, they form an unrelenting barrier as they vet the gathering clubbers, all eager to gain entry into a world of loud music, flashing lights, alcohol and a steaming mass of gyrating bodies on the dance floor.

For ‘Lucky’ Eric, Ralph, Judd and Les, this is their Check-point Charlie, and no-one, but no-one, gets past their scrutiny.

The programme announces the play as ‘loud. raw, dangerous, hilarious’ and, under the guidance of director Barry Taylor, the Derbyshire-based Fourblokes company extracts every ounce of every emotion.

Kim Harris, Ross Lowe, Phil Simcox and Paul Wilson not only portray the four bouncers, but, in the course of the play, assume some 20 characters.

Their ability to switch from the puerile to the sensitive said a lot for this talented bunch, and they managed a brilliant take on Michael Jackson’s, Thriller.

In a slick-as-hair-gel performance, this amateur company was pure professionalism, and in Kim, Phil, Ross and Paul we have found a Fab four of amateur theatre.

Lynda Smart