- Good Fun
Good Fun is a play by
Victoria Wood , first performed in 1980. It is set in anArts Centre inNorth West England .cite book
last = Brandwood
first = Neil
title= Victoria Wood – The Biography
edition = 1st Edition
year = 2002
publisher = Boxtree
location = London
id = ISBN 1-85227-982-6
pages = ]Origins
Wood, keen to trade on her previous stage success "Talent", was commissioned to write another play by impresario Michael Codron. "I wrote one called "Pals", which he said was 'very enjoyable'. This is a euphemism for wincing, so it went in the bin. I then wrote another called "Good Fun"."cite book
last = Wood
first = Victoria Wood
title= Good Fun & Talent
edition = 1st Edition
year = 1988
publisher = Methuen
location = London
id = ISBN 9-413-18740-3
pages = ]Performance
The play was first performed in April 1980 at
Sheffield 'sCrucible Theatre . It was directed byDavid Leland . It starred Annabel Leventon as Liz,Charles McKeown as Frank, Gregory Floy as Mike, Victoria Wood as Lynne, Joe Figg as Kev,Julie Walters as Betty,Noreen Kershaw ] as Gail and Christopher Hancock as Maurice. The show was then performed at The Crucible Theatre again in June that year with some cast changes.Polly James played Liz,Sam Kelly played Frank andMeg Johnson played Betty.After The Crucible's second version, the plan was to hopefully transfer the play to the West End. This never happened, though it was performed at the King's Head Theatre in
Islington . Wood said she heard a man at the interval saying "It's a bit witty witty isn't it?"Wood's view of the play was that "there was an awful lot wrong with it but there were some lovely performances and the audiences enjoyed it."After "Good Fun" Wood concentrated on television comedy and her career as a stand up comic . Though she did write two more plays "which to save bothering Michael Codron, I called 'very enjoyable' and put straight in the bin.
Reviews
Robin Thurber of "
The Guardian " said "Good Fun is just that... full of knowing little laughs. Dry laughs, belly laughs, dirty laughs and running giggles".James Fenton of "The Sunday Times said "pigeon holers will find a space for (Wood) besideJoe Orton andKen Dodd ...But her voice is characteristically and aggressively female. Just like "Talent"... "Good Fun"s rude words, hilarious gags and the insights which are more varied than either are all in the mouths of the women at its centre."References
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