'The Ladyboys of Bangkok'
Tivoli Theatre, Dublin
If cabaret is your thing then one show that promises a night out with a difference is "The Ladyboys of Bangkok". Fresh from successful runs at the Edinburgh Festival and in London's West end, the show is in the middle of an eight week residency in Dublin's' Tivoli Theatre (extended from an original 4 week residency).
All
of the cast for this strong production are male - or at least they were at one time.
The cast consists of four Thai male dancers, two comedians (comediennes?) and ten
lady boys. The lady-boys are all transsexuals or transvestites, but the evidence
of this is slim. The 'girls' are all jaw-droppingly gorgeous, with beautiful figures,
pretty faces and feminine gestures. While not all of the Ladyboys have gone the
whole hog and had the snip, even the most owl-like eye would be hard pushed to find
the evidence of this. In fact the only apparent evidence of the Ladyboys' (once?)
manhood is their Adams apples, and even they are small.
Apart from the obvious attraction of the curious gender-bending, the show itself is a kitsch and fun affair. The music is a blend of traditional Thai and Western pop hits. The choreography is top-class with entertaining dance routines. At times the miming is a little out of sync, hardly surprising considering the girls speak hardly any English. Personally I find the versions of the pop hits (Abba, Steps etc.) a little tacky. The show is much more beautiful during the oriental numbers. The costumes during these songs are amazing, incredibly colourful and seductive in a subtle way.
Presuming you have a fairly open mind, I would more than recommend the show for a curious and amusing night out.
Niamh Grimes
'The Lady Boys of Bangkok' now runs in Dublin's Tivoli theatre until November 4th
2000.
