From the writers of A Slice of Saturday Night, Holy Crap is the Heather Brothers new musical comedy. The show follows the first pay-to-view religious channel gone raunchy, as Reverend Bobby De La Ray tries to escape his debts to the Mafia who are holding his mother hostage, by turning it into a porn channel and subsequently creating a cult that takes over the world.
From this description, I am sure you can imagine that this show is definitely not for everyone. Yet, they couldn’t have chosen a better theatre to put it on at, as the King’s Head is renowned for some of its more risqué shows. Having seen and loved both Saucy Jack and The Space Vixens and Shock Treatment (the latter also directed by Benji Sperring), Holy Crap is by no means an unusual genre for regular King’s Head goers. Yet, what the show doesn’t yet have is a cult following like the previously mentioned shows do, so starting at a theatre that attracts the right kind of audience is an excellent choice.
As is choosing director Benji Sperring. No stranger to the sexual, risqué genre (on website named him the bad boy of musical theatre) he brings the new show to life, his direction lifting the show to it’s full potential. While I think that the show could definitely afford some rewrites and cuts, Sperring very much makes the most of what he is given and guides this talented cast through a tricky genre. I have seen shows like this cause an audience to cringe due to bad direction, and while there were some risky moments in the show, they were always done with humour and good taste.
The cast are great and very much in sync with each other and the style of the piece. John Addison’s Reverend Bobby Del La Ray was a stand out, charismatic and cheeky, paired with a fantastic voice. He drives the story throughout, and is a great leading man.
I also really enjoyed the choice to have the band on stage, as musical director Ben Ferguson leads a really talented team who interact with the piece brilliantly and sound fantastic.
It isn’t a show for the faint hearted or the easily offended but it’s a fun night out for sure. If you love Rocky Horror, you will love this.
Reviewed by Kara Taylor Alberts
