Review: 51 Shades of Maggie – Theatre Royal, Newcastle

Adele Silva domineered the stage as she whipped-up the audience into laughter and applause as 51 Shades of Maggie began its autumn UK tour in Newcastle.

In a parody of EL James’ infamous erotic trilogy, 51 Shades of Maggie follows Maggie Muff’s search for love, and her ‘relationship’ with Mr Big.

Adele Silva‘s disciplined performance is endlessly energetic and her versatility is amazing, as she fills the stage with not only the larger-than-life Maggie Muff, but also the voices and personas of her friends, chain smoking mother, her enigmatic lover, and everyone’s favourite daytime TV personality, Lieutenant Columbo.

Her portrayals are so vivid that you almost expect Adele to be joined by a host of other actors when she returns to the stage for her curtain call.

She – hmm – pulls it off masterfully, which is quite a feat in a space on the huge scale of Newcastle’s Theatre Royal.

Silva never misses a beat as she rockets through Leesa Harker’s script, which is strewn with crude and colourful sexual metaphors that range from the ridiculous to the even-more-ridiculous.

The first act is a fast-paced romp through Maggie’s sexual exploits, while the second act introduces a darker note.

The jokes keep coming, though, and rest assured, without spoiling anything, that Maggie does eventually get to have her happy ending!

It might not be for the highest of brows, but if you’re after a fun, feel-good night out then 51 Shades of Maggie will come up with guilty pleasures.

51 Shades of Maggie runs at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle 10-14 September 2013.