Review: READY, STEADY, CO*K!, Hen And Chickens Theatre

Carmen (Cova Camblor) and Audrey (Victoria Lynn Hamilton) are auditioning to be the new presenter of Ready, Steady, Cook!. The first needs the money to pay for her pet iguana's very expensive medical bills, while the other is going through a rough divorce and wants to be able to keep affording her over the top lifestyle.

When they meet Jeff (Blake Aidan), the producer of the show, it becomes clear that they've walked into an audition for a not-so-PG version of the format. Hilarity ensues and the two discover how far they're willing to go to achieve their goals. Camblor and Natasha Zierhofer write a straight-shooting comedy pervaded with simple but effective humour.

The three performers are having a ball on stage, and it shows. Lewd jokes and double entendre fly left and right, as one would expect, and land in a hilarious piece that's clearly built for laughs alone. From Jeff wanting them to be "Flirty and sexy but not in a vulgar way" to his inappropriate endeavours to appeal to a new slice of audience for his program, that is kids, Ready, Steady, Co*k! is utterly ludicrous.

The thinly veiled satire gets kind of lost into the larger comical vein of the play, but it doesn't really matter in the end. Fernando the iguana unfortunately meets his maker and the scorned women get their delicious revenge on the sleazy producer. It's a ridiculous and naughty riot from start to end, and everything it lacks is kneaded in the comedy and baked into a ribald treat.

Ready, Steady, Co*k runs at the Hen and Chickens Theatre until 4 August as part of Camden Fringe.