West End Theatre: Wink The Other Eye

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The Review - THEATRE by DAN CARRIER
Published: 25 July 2008

Singalong with Burlington Bertie

WINK THE OTHER EYE
Wilton’s Grand Music Hall

FROM the moment you walk through the doors of the Wilton Music Hall, you know you are in for a treat.
This is a night out at the theatre which is like nothing else: Wilton’s is the oldest surviving London music hall. Tucked down an alley behind Cable Street, it reeks of history.
Sadly crumbling – only 60 per cent of the theatre is safe for visitors – it genuinely feels like stepping through a time portal into a Victorian show.
Wink The Other Eye cleverly combines the classic elements of music hall with a broader background story of the history of the Wilton.
The cast launch into risqué jokes and bawdy comedy allied with raucous songs we all know (and if you don’t, no worries – there’s a song sheet tucked inside your programme).
In its Victorian heyday, 1,500
people crowded into the auditorium. It’s still a tight squeeze but this adds to the atmosphere – and the audiences are encouraged to drink and sing and basically join in the fun.
It’s is a hoot: songs such as Burlington Bertie and My Old Man bring the house down, while strong performances abound. The seven cast members play a number of roles and, in the two-plus hours, rattle through costume changes, pop up in the audience, disappear to the bar and then perform amazing feats of acrobatics... all while Mr Wilton narrates.
Its a fast-paced mish-mash of London stage history and well worth the trip east.
I suggest getting there early – the bar serves a great supper of pork pies, hunks of cheddar and giant dollops of chutney, as well as good, cheap ale. They need to raise funds simply to stop the roof caving in, and once you have visited Wiltons, you too will realise that this is a place worth supporting with your custom.
Until August 16
020 7702 2789

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