The shocking and true story of Fanny & Stella is brilliantly told live on stage at Above the Stag Theatre in Vauxhall.
In the late 1870’s two men, Ernest Bolton and Frederick Park, were arrested for sodomy. But they were also actually just two men who happened to enjoy dressing, and living as women. Sure they were gay, but it was the sodomy charge that made them famous (or infamous as the case may be here). Fanny & Stella tells their hard to believe story. Glenn Chandler writes an actual beautiful story that is eloquent, funny and a bit sarcastic. The witty and engaging music is by Charles Miller – it’s perfectly light and lively for a show such as this.
Fanny and Stella’s lives are told in the first half of the show which goes into detail their relationships and circle of friends, while the second half is even more enjoyable as we ‘are treated’ to their trial. And how could you go wrong with songs sung such as ‘Anyone Seen My Fanny’ that is as camp as Christmas in a show that is just as fun. And the cast are just about perfect, with Tobias Charles as Fanny and Kieran Parrott as Stella who both gracefully grace the stag in wigs ad costumes of that era much to our delight. Fanny & Stella is one delightful show.
For tickets, please go here: www.abovethestag.com
Photo: PBG Studios
Review by Tim Baros