Chinese Elvis returns for celebration run
CHARLOTTE Jones’ comedy, Martha, Josie & the Chinese Elvis was first performed 10 years ago at the Bolton Octagon Theatre in Bolton.
Since then it has picked up several awards and Jones has gone on to become one of Britain’s hottest young writers, receiving critical acclaim for her play Humble Boy.
Now it’s returning to celebrate its 10th anniversary with a new production at Oldham Coliseum, directed by Kevin Shaw.
The ‘Josie’ of that long – and slightly off-putting – title is Josie Botting, played by Sarah Parks.
She has spent her life offering a very ‘personal service’ and now she’s about to retire, she’s having a birthday party.
But she is in no mood to celebrate – and the guest list leaves a lot to be desired.
There’s Brenda-Marie, her daughter (played by Catherine Kinsella), who dreams hopelessly of being an Olympic ice skater and Martha, her Irish cleaner (Becky Hindley), who thinks a trip to Graceland will right her many wrongs and there’s Lionel (Michael Strobel), Josie’s last remaining client, who is desperate to dress for the occasion.
The party looks set to be a disaster. Then in walks the Chinese Elvis impersonator Timothy Wong (Nicholas Goh). Will he be able to transform their lives with a little bit of Elvis magic?
“It’s a very, very funny play and we’re having such a great time rehearsing it,” insists says Catherine, who was nominated as best actress in a supporting role at last year’s M.E.N Theatre Awards for playing Jessica at The Merchant Of Venice, at Bolton Octagon.
A few of her other credits include Brooke in Noises Off at the Oldham Coliseum and several roles at Bolton Octagon including Abigail Williams in The Crucible, Sally in Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle & Dick, and Catherine in A View From The Bridge, as well as Alice in The Theatre By The Lake’s adaptation of Melvyn Bragg’s The Maid Of Buttermere, in Keswick.
Young Eponine
Her professional debut, in fact, was playing the role of Young Eponine in Les Miserables, at the Palace Theatre.
Much as she’s loving playing playign Brenda-Marie, she admits that playing Catherine in Arthur Miller’s A View From The Bridge was something of a ‘dream come true’.
“I’d hankered after that role ever since I was 17-years-old and we did it for A-level,” she says.
“I must admit I turned into a bit of a stalker for poor old Mark Babych when I found out he was going to direct it!
“But it’s really is lovely to be back at Oldham.
“Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis is very different from the last play I was in here but it is wonderful fun.
“I hadn’t seen it before actually and, when I read it, I could easily see why Kevin Shaw was so passionately committed to putting it on. Every single one of these characters is eccentric but loveable.
“One of the wonderful thing for an actress like myself and lots of other actors up here is that Oldham Coliseum doesn’t really hold any store with the idea that the only way to get audience’s bums on seats is by having big names.
“Their ethos is that the play and the production is the thing and, if you have a real relationship with your local audience, they will support you.”
Martha, Josie and The Chinese Elvis is at the Oldham Coliseum until Saturday, July 11. £5 - £18. Call 0161 624 2829.
Published: Wed, 24 June, 2009
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