Review: Menopause the Musical at Chesterfield's Pomegranate Theatre

A standing ovation from a sell-out audience at Chesterfield’s Pomegranate Theatre last night (Friday, May 27) proved that Menopause the Musical had really hit the mark.

The crowd loved every toe-curling mention of hot sweats, damp patches and uncontrollable bladders, the send-up of Tina Turner and Sonny and Cher and the 20-plus hit songs whose lyrics were amended to suit the theme of the show.

Cheryl Fergison of EastEnders fame played Earth Mother, sweaty and from the country; Linda Nolan was the Soap Star from Hollydale Street with a toyboy lover; Rebecca Wheatley from Casualty was cast as straitlaced, nervy housewife and Ruth Berkeley shone in the role of Power Woman, driven and dressed in a masculine-looking suit.

While the three star names may have brought the punters in, it was Ruth who had the best scenes in the show which was set in a department store. Her awesome singing reached its peak in a burst of opera in The Great Pretender while her imitation of Tina Turner brought the house down.

The only turn-off was the in-your-face advertising for the show’s sponsor, which was broadcast on a large monitor screen on stage at the start of the show.