Reception
The musical received mixed reviews. Mark Shenton of the BBC criticised the show for extending a sketch into a three hour long musical, but mentioned that Julie Walters was "inimitable" and to see her "shuffling onto the stage as the perpetually stooped and crumpled Mrs Overall - tea tray in hand with macaroons at the ready - is enough to induce guffaws of recognition." Like Shenton, Philip Fisher of The British Theatre Guide lamented the record-breaking high levels of ticket price (up to £65), but lauded the performances and enthusiasm of the project. A teletext review voiced the opinion that the plot lacked depth, and that it wasn't a great theatrical performance. The Stage said that it would have been better if Victoria Wood had drafted in aid with the musical, and also stated that it really starts at the beginning of the second act (see Revival), but that it contained "enough entertainment and wit to keep the faithful happy", and said that "the second half begins, to the palpable delight of the audience, with the show they have come to see - with missed cues, fluffed lines and preposterous plots gloriously intact". However, it played to full houses, and was nominated for Best New Musical, Best Actress in a Musical (Julie Walters) and Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Celia Imrie) at the Laurence Olivier Awards, and won Best Supporting Actress. The original series and the musical were released on DVD in the UK in January 2005 and March 2006 respectively.
A routine from the show closed the 2005 BAFTA tribute to Victoria Wood; however, she recently claimed that creating the musical was a "bad idea" as it harmed her credentials as a serious playwright.
Read more about this topic: Acorn Antiques: The Musical!
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