Billionaire Boy at Alexandra Theatre

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Wed 20 Nov 2019 - Sat 23 Nov 2019

When mint-flavoured bum wipes need a serious health warning and ample bosomed dinner ladies plate up deep fried Blu-tack, you know you have entered into the mind of David Walliams.



Walliams' children's book Billionaire Boy has been adapted for stage and rolls with the punches at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham, where it remains until this Saturday.

The Birmingham Stage Company celebrates its 27th anniversary with this new adaptation by director Neal Foster with a clever Bum Fresh Tower construction by Jacqueline Trousdale. There's even a helicopter and some slick scooting amongst the rolls.

The story revolves around Joe Spud (played by Matthew Gordon) - aka The Bum Roll Kid, Bum Boy, Master Plop-Paper or The Bum-Wipe Heir - who struggles to find a friend at St Cuthbert's School for Boys.



Joe persuades his dad, Mr Spud (Jason Furnival) to send him to a normal comprehensive school with a clean slate and a hidden identity.

Mr Spud, who is founder of Bumfresh, revolutionised bottom wiping forever and has more money than sense. He agrees to Joe's proposal and goes off in search of love, in the shape of money grabbing, fake tan smeared, Sapphire (Rosie Coles).

When Joe meets Bob (Davy Bell) at an afternoon of cross country panting, they soon become firm friends, having to endure the bullying Grubb twins.



There's also coping with the delicious atrocities concocted by Mrs Trafe (Emma Matthews) - who fancies gerbils on toast? Badger and onion pie? Jacket potatoes and sock cheese for the vegetarians?

There's plenty of child-friendly adventures including realising that all the money in the world cannot buy a loo-roll rocket made with love. And as Joe Spud discovers, friendship is of the utmost importance along with copious amounts of chocolate.

He gets his supply from newsagent Raj, played by Aosaf Afzal, who has lines like "the Cadbury's Crème Eggs are freshly laid this morning".



But Joe's dad really hits the bum note when he tries to buy Joe a new friend in the form of Jayden (Bernard Mensah) and loses everything when his innovative wipe designs produce a rather uncomfortable pain in the purple backside.

Children love the zany humour and crazy concoctions in books by Walliams and now they can love his theatre shows too.

Billionaire Boy guarantees laughter for all ages with a few insults thrown in - like 'Mingmong, Furp, Lopcrock and Joofer'.

It's another success on stage following the stage adaptation of Walliams' other book Gangsta Granny. Fans also have Walliams' The Boy In The Dress to look forward to on stage at The RSC in Stratford.upon Avon in the coming weeks too.
RATING:
& #9733 ;& #9733 ;& #9733 ;& #9733 ;& #9734 ;

Billionaire Boy is suitable for ages 5 and is 2 hours 10 minutes long including an interval. Tickets are available from Alexandra Theatre Box Office at the website www.atgtickets.com/birmingham or by calling & #8234 ;0844 871 3011& #8236 ;.

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!date 20/11/2019 -- 23/11/2019
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