Comedy news: Theatre Bingo from Neil Bartlett, Everyone loves a winner at the Manchester International Festival

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Fancy a night at the bingo? Or how about something more refined, like the theatre.

Perhaps the new play written and directed by Neil Bartlett, a seasoned veteran of the National, the Royal Court and the RSC?

Hold on – you can have both at the same time, “Everyone Loves a Winner” is both an engaging, expertly crafted piece of theatre and a wild night out at the bingo all at once.

For the Manchester International Festival this year, the city’s Royal Exchange theatre (situated right inside the ancient building that used to be the biggest trading room in the world) has been transformed into the Rex Bingo club.

And, as luck would have it, they’re running a cheap and cheerful credit crunch special to draw in the punters.

Featuring a friendly cast of mainly old, female bingo addicts, a burnt out compere (Ian Puleston-Davies), a brisk house manager (Sally Lindsay) and three jaded teenage employees, Barlett’s play covers the gruelling 13 hour day that bingo hopefuls and employees spend in the glitzy, neon world of the Rex Bingo club.

Each of the punters live in continuous cycle of hope and disappointment, each with their own special dream of what they’d spend their money on should they ever have that elusive big win.

For all its levity – the bawdy quips, song, dancing and even an ironic Greek chorus - the play doesn’t hold back on its social message: this is a sharply observed tale of Britain’s dispossessed.

What makes the experience work so well, though, is that the audience also gets a taste of what the players are going through; because everyone watching also has a chance to play and win up to £200.
It’s an easy trick, but one that can’t help but keep you enthralled; and one typical of the innovation that is going on across Manchester this month—in music, sculpture, architecture, theatre and visual art.

While you may not be able to top Glastonbury for live music acts or Edinburgh for traditional stand-up comedy, Manchester’s festival offers something dizzyingly original.

There is something for everyone: from De La Soul to a Rufus Wainwright opera to a riotous procession choreographed by Turner prizewinner Jeremy Deller, featuring a Scouts marching band, goths, emos and a whole dynasty of rose queens from Stretford.

For those looking to have their expectations confounded and their imaginations stretched, the lesson is simple: don’t miss out.

The Manchester International festival runs from 2nd July to 19th July. For full details visit www.mif.co.uk/

For tickets to Manchester and many other UK destinations visit Virgin Trains.

(Original review posted in July 2009)