Reviewed by Jess D’Ath

From the moment Katie Boyle’s Patricia Goldsack tips two packs of condoms into the empty biscuit tins, sitting innocently next to the tea pot and cups, we know we are in for something a little bit more than we bargained for. Or perhaps that was just me? The women sitting next to me were equally mortified, but in that hilarious way we all become horrified when someone of the elderly variety starts to talk about love…or god forbid….sex.

And so the scene is set for an unlikely night out with our new friend Pat. For the next hour she regales us with stories of her lovers and long line of husbands. We are informed of the rules of the swingers club we all entered somewhat unwittingly and we are pushed out of our collective comfort zones, leaving us gasping and sweaty and begging for more.

Boyle expertly teases the audience, moving the narrative along with clever dialogue and jokes your grandma should definitely never say, choosing her victims carefully and leaving the rest of us in much appreciated safety. Her character is flawed and flawless and impossible not to love. Her take home message about consent was supremely well handled, as was the underlying message about humans being humans and sex being just sex, no matter what your age or your preferences. So why not just relax and have fun, ideally, at Pat Goldsack’s Swingers Club and Brothel?

Pat Goldsack’s Swingers Club and Brothel is part of the 2018 Nelson Fringe Festival. To check out other shows and workshops, click here.