So. Much. Fun.
I caught last Friday night’s second staging of the recently opened Blind Date at the Charing Cross Theatre and am so glad I did. I’m more than happy to recommend this comedy to anyone looking for some light hearted entertainment. I wouldn’t even mind seeing the show again, honestly, especially considering that all performances promise to be completely different with a new (and haplessly unsuspecting) leading man every time.
Blind Date stars Canadian comedienne, Rebecca Northan as Mimi, a “lovable minx of a Parisian clown”, who’s been stood up for a blind date. Shrugging off the no-show blues as well as many of the traditional boundaries between performer and audience, Mimi turns her attention to the crowd seated just in front of her for a quick replacement. Hilarity (punctuated with moments of poignant insight) ensues. Or at least, it did during the performance I attended. Mimi’s man for the night – Tim, an easygoing estate agent with his real-life girlfriend in the audience – took his surprise acting role in bashful stride (even seemed to bask in the spotlight at times) and was by the end of the night a true hero in the eyes of everybody in the theatre.
Tim was in safe hands with Northan too, who was able to get the most out of her new found romantic lead and adeptly build rapport and chemistry as the impromptu duo ad libbed their way through a series of outrageously funny dating and relationship-y situations.
Blind Date runs until mid July at the Charing Cross Theatre, in Craven Passage arches just off Villiers Street between Embankment and Charing Cross stations, WC2N 6NL.
For more information and to book tickets (a very wise idea if you’re hoping to catch this show!), visit blinddateonstage.com and charingcrosstheatre.co.uk.
