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Porno Chic at Kings Arms

Porno Chic at Kings Arms

I'm not nervous  - just poised for action.

Porno Chic – King's Arms, Salford

Award winning Vertigo Theatre Productions have brought their highly successful show Porno Chic back to the King's Arms in Salford.

Porno Chic tells the story of Harry Reems, a young hungry actor who turned a sideline in stag films, into a career in the developing porn industry of the early 1970s and the consequential effect on his life.

Reems was one of the stars of the infamous movie Deep Throat, a movie which aimed to blur the lines between pornography and mainstream films. Reems and his co-star Linda Lovelace were both praised and villified by the press and the establishment. But despite the fact that many tried to get the film banned, it became hugely successful across the States, catapulting Reems and Lovelace to fame and infamy.

Richard Allen's performance as Harry Reems is a true tour de force. As narrator and central character he is never off the stage, and he is magnetic to watch. Reems decline into drugs and alcohol, especially after a controversial court case, is sensitively portrayed but never shyed away from.

Celine Constantinides makes the role of Linda Lovelace her own. Vulnerable and emotional, Linda is a battered wife, controlled by her husband Chuck for his own gain. It is he that pushes her into stag films and ultimately the film Deep Throat, but it is Linda who suffers the consequences.

The rest of the cast, Stuart Reeve, Ash Preston, Paul Worrall, Andrew Marsden, Emma Morgan and Kerry Ely, play multiple roles between them, changing costumes, wigs and chaaracters with speed and skill. There is not one weak link in the cast.

Writers/Directors Craig Hepworth and Adele Stanhope have created a show which has evolved from a stunning piece of theatre into one which is slightly different in pace and staging but just as stunning. The script is tight, evocative and dramatic but their direction takes it and makes it even more special, bringing wonderful performances from all the actors.

In the last ten years Vertigo Theatre Productions have developed into one of the leading fringe companies in Manchester and deservedly so. Porno Chic is a testament to the skill and dedication of the company and is a show that should be seen by many more.

Porno Chic runs at the King's Arms in Salford until Saturday 8th October 2016

By Helen Jones for Canal St Online

Published: 8-Oct-2016 (3920)

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