BWW Reviews: MOLLY WOBBLY'S TIT FACTORY Original Cast Recording

Original, creative and "absolutely bonkers" - Molly Wobbly's Tit Factory is anew musical written entirely by the incredibly talented Paul Boyd and produced by The Lyric Theatre, Belfast.

What started out as a ten-minute excerpt for a competition back in 2005 has now been turned into a full length musical (after a little persuasion from the Lyric Theatre's Artistic Director, Richard Croxford), and it debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival earlier this year to critical acclaim.

Paul Boyd is no newcomer to writing, having a twenty-year career under his belt. Although unfamiliar with his other work, if this piece is anything to go by, I am ridiculously excited to hear his other works. Molly Wobbly's Tit Factory automatically creates intrigue and if I had managed to get to this year's Fringe and had seen that advertised, I would have automatically bought a ticket - the show definitely has pulling power! Even the eerily bizarre artwork, designed brilliantly by Simon Beechey, is enough to entice.

Upon receiving this expertly produced recording by Simon Greiff of SG Productions, I decided not to read up on the plot synopsis and just go straight in and listen to the recording. From the outset, the wit of the writing and the phenomenal orchestrations hit me. Admittedly I was a little thrown in some songs trying to understand what exactly was happening in the show, but upon listening to the recording through a second time, it was all much clearer and fluid. It is only just prior to me putting pen to paper for this review that I have read through the synopsis.

The production is completely wacky and very far fetched but this highlights
wonderful imaginative skills from Boyd and I have definitely heard nothing like it before. It is amazing that Boyd has written the book, lyrics and music for the show. Often one aspect can falter if the same person turns their hand to all aspects of the production but Boyd is clearly strong in all areas which is increasingly rare in this day and age.

There is a variety of styles within the original cast recording when it comesto the musical numbers. The Acting Company (featuring Tara Flynn, Conleth Kane, Orla Gormley, Christopher Finn, LeAnne Jones, Kevin Hynes, Russell Morton and Tommy Wallace) need to be commended on their adaptability to deliver all of songs with attack and sensitivity to the writing. It is very much an ensemble piece and it would be unfair to single anyone out as all do a wonderful job on the recording.

In a nutshell, Molly Wobbly's Tit Factory is set in a quiet town called Little Happening that gets interrupted by a mysterious stranger who gives the town's people an unexpected makeover. The first track on the recording sees the stranger's arrival and the vibe is very dark and has almost circus-like influences. These sounds are very much associated with Ithanku, played by Russell Morton, throughout the recording.

Personally, the musical numbers really begin to grab my attention from 'Presbyterian Minister's Wife' which has Ruth (Orla Gormley) recounting her past with her husband and when she shouted "f**k" in the manse! From then on, I was gripped and literally laughing out loud in parts. Along with the comedy and the heavy Irish influence which is fantastic and really makes the show, there is a softer side which is demonstrated on one of my favourite tracks 'Designed by Margaret Brown' sung beautifully by LeAnne Jones.

Molly Wobbly's Tit Factory does have partial nudity and a parental advisory sticker but it also has real heart and I would highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates new musical theatre. I sincerely hope the show has another outing very soon so I can go and see it!

Molly Wobbly's Tit Factory original cast recording is available from SimG Records (www.simgproductions.com) All royalties from the sale of the CD will be donated to the Terrence Higgins Trust - the UK's leading HIV and sexual health charity.

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