Review: "LOVE OFF THE SHELF", Directed by Sue Belsham. Musical Director, Paul Belsham for Supa Productions. At the Street Theatre, March 13 1996. Reviewed by TONY MAGEE

Love Off The Shelf is very funny! It is a send-up of Mills and Boon romances and unfolds with two writers, one male and one female, who, frustrated with continual rejections of their work from publishers, decide to have a crack at formula writing, via a "kit" which they have both been sent. 

From here the audience meets all the clichéd characters that typify this kind of story, with their entrances being set-up mostly by the enthusiasm with which the writers verbalise their exciting plots - there are of course two stories being written at once, the clever twist being that the plots (if one can call them that) are basically the same, with definitely the same ending - no need to explain that!

This production is very well directed and well cast with strong performances from all performers, although I would like to mention Rodney Beaver, who was outstanding in his two dual principle roles, as well as countless smaller cameo appearances.

Also excellent was Sheridan McDonald's choreography, which was perfectly set for a small stage.

I must say that the musical score is fairly ordinary, in fact I think the whole show would be better off as a straight play. Still, the whole thing is supposed to be a laugh and a giggle and it certainly is that, so let me finish by saying that Love Of The Shelf was a really enjoyable night out.

Originally published in Muse Magazine (Canberra), April 1996