Sex In Surburbia,

Wyvern Theatre,

Swindon

From the peculiar to the truly horrifying we all have experienced our fair share of dating disasters.

In a society where dating has become an occupational hazard Sex in Suburbia is a beacon of hope, a hysterical guide to navigating the minefield that is finding a mate (and a few choice wisdoms about how to keep them).

The comedy slash farce slash occasional musical – a perplexing combination at first, granted – follows Penny Crowe, the host of a radio phone-in show and Britain’s leading agony aunt. Claire Sweeney (as herself) joins Penny for the night as a relationship expert , while Rory Reynolds, the show’s deliciously camp producer, mans the lines.

Together they set out to resolve streams of callers’ relationship crises and romantic conundrums and lend a compassionate ear as listeners regale them with their tales of calamity.

In turn they re-enact these calls for the audience, taking on an array of characters, from a frigid footie fan and a couple of desperate housewives, to swingers and even a boisterous Ann Summers saleswoman extolling the virtues of beads, sex toys and driving a hard bargain on her lesbian range.

Amid all the madness, Claire Sweeney and her posse occasionally break into song, belting out such classics as I’m Every Woman.

This hodgepodge of musical interludes and farcical sketches interspersed with insights into Sweeney’s journey to motherhood, was certainly mystifying at first. I feared this bonkers mix of sex, song and secrets would soon veer into inanity.

But as Lindzi Germain hopped from her role as agony aunt to that of a housewife awakened to the joys of swinging before turning into a 40-something forced to navigate the choppy waters of her husband’s libido, those misgivings just melted away. Her knack for physical comedy and her side-splitting mannerisms were a delight. She sent us all into roars of laughter. Carl Patrick was a master impersonator, as believable as a moronic Essex boy, as a sexually frustrated and emotionally inept husband or liberated cross dresser. Still unconvinced? Just take a chance. It will hit the spot!

Sex in Suburbia is on tonight at the Wyvern Theatre at 7.30pm. To book call the box office on 01793 524481.