Review: Bev Callard in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice

The last time we saw Bev Callard on Coronation Street as Liz McDonald she was leaving to go to Spain to help son Andy with his bar.  In real life, Bev's finally back on the stage, currently acting in a touring version of Jim Cartwright's The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.

We caught up with the show this weekend in Scarborough and I can't recommend it highly enough.  Bev Callard plays the role of Little Voice's mother, Mari Hoff.  And while the clothes Mari wears on stage are the short-short skirts and tight-tight tops in the style of Liz McDonald, this is a different character altogether to the one we've seen Bev play in Corrie.

Bev's character Mari Hoff carries the show from start to end.  She's on stage more than any other character and her role is one that gets the audience on her side straight away. She plays a comedy blinder with her on-stage friend Sadie - and in one moment that had tears of laughter rolling down my face, Bev does a hand stand while Sadie (played by Sally Plumb) opens and closes Bev's legs while they're both dancing to a Jacksons' hit.  Wonderful stuff.

As well as the comedy, Bev played the role with emotion and pathos, it really was fantastic.  The rest of the cast are pretty darn good too, not least Jess Robinson who plays and sings her way through the show as Little Voice.  It's a wonderful play, I highly recommend it and it more than deserved its standing ovation.

Find out more about Little Voice the tour and book tickets online at http://littlevoicetour.com/


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