Coming from the team behind the legendary Guinness ads and Rik Mayall's writing partner, HOOKED is a new musical about the pressures of modern life, drugs and the underworld. The story follows Ben, a young PR ace, as he tries to cope with the prospect of starting a family whilst hiding a penchant for cocaine and an affair with lapdancer Monique from his wife Emma.
Naive Romanian Monique travels to London thinking she will pursue her dreams to be a singer but doesn't realise until it's too late she's been sold to shady lapdancing club manager Parnell. Events come to a head when Ben has a near death experience, exposing his secret lifestyle and forcing him to reflect on his choices and try putting his life back together.
The cast of six played the characters brilliantly but it was Odette the head lapdancer and club manager Parnell whose parts made the show so entertaining. As Odette, Manal El-Feitury, led the way in the two songs performed by the lapdancers and (we guess!) wouldn't have looked out of place in Stringfellows. Terry Burns played the part of shady cockney club manager Parnell entertainingly and delivered the best "fuck off" this Londonista has seen in a long time.
The show uses the central narrative to explore the shadier side of life in London and expose how drugs, the sex trade, rape and murder can infiltrate middle England. You can see HOOKED in London this evening or Sunday evening before it heads up to Edinburgh Fringe festival.
HOOKED, 31st July - 2nd August, Theatre 503, for more information go to the HOOKED website here.
