Review: Shady Business at Chesterfield’s Pomegranate milks the laughs

It is called Shady Business, and Talking Scarlet have brought it to the Pomegranate this week: hilarity and confusion, rather than their usual drama and tension style.

With scantily clad girls, double entendres and a glamorous set with four doors and a bed, it has all the makings of a classic farce – but it is far more complicated than that.

Zoe Lister and Katy Dean are the nightclub dancers, giggly and screechy as the story requires. The gangsters are Big Mack (David Callister), Dozer-as-in-Bull the heavy (Graham Martin) and scariest of all Michael Kirk as Harry the Spanner – think tightening nuts; did I mention the double entendres?

There are surprises in store in the second act, when nice guy Larry, or was it Gerry (Simon Willmont) reveals hidden, um, talents. Failed poseur Terry (former Coronation Street hunk Scott Wright) isn’t quite what he seems, either. And the two girls give a whole new meaning to charades.

With Talking Scarlet, versatility is the name of the game.

Shady Business continues its run at the Pomegranate until Saturday, June 7.

LYNNE PATRICK