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Review: Michelle and Arlene: Ulster Says Snow

Mary-Frances Doherty as Michelle and Maria Connolly as Arlene
Mary-Frances Doherty as Michelle and Maria Connolly as Arlene Mary-Frances Doherty as Michelle and Maria Connolly as Arlene

Ulster Says Snow!

Accidental Theatre, Shaftesbury Square, Belfast

Thanks to writer Rosemary Jenkinson yet again Michelle and Arlene find themselves thrown together on an overseas trip, this time they are on a trade mission to Brazil and they are determined to enjoy it.

Their wages have been cut so they decide to have a personal fundraiser when they visit Copacabana Beach at the same time feasting their eyes on the local talent.

The Brazilians love the two women and the money raised rolls in, during a night’s celebration they discover an attraction between them, they even have a bit of a snog!

Not Arlene’s usual style but she sort of likes it and with Michelle talking to Mary Lou non-stop on her mobile, there’s a touch of jealousy.

But Arlene, known as Windowlene at school she says, always has Brian waiting for her at home where it’s so cold because she didn’t think to get a boiler when they were available!

Next morning Mrs Foster discovers she’s had a ‘Brazilian’ and Michelle has had injections to enhance her bottom, big mistake because it was meant to be enhancing a bit further up and in front!

The story rolls on, the money goes missing, the friendship deepens, there’s singing, a congo through the audience and many genuinely funny exchanges.

An hour long, billed as an hilarious Christmas craic-er of a satire, it won’t grab everybody but Mary-Frances Doherty as Michelle and Maria Connolly as Arlene did have an appreciative audience on opening night.