Paul Wilkinson reviews The Life and Times of Fanny Hill currently showing at the Dukes Theatre SEX and the British have long been strange bedfellows but back in the 18th century John Cleland's bawdy tale of a woman of pleasure pulled back the covers to reveal a saucy side to the national character.

The Life and Times of Fanny Hill, a salacious story of one young lady's adventures of the flesh, was banned soon after being released and instantly became an under the counter classic. And, 200 years later, Lancaster's Dukes Theatre has given the script a kiss off life with a lively and imaginative adaptation to start its new season.

Set in the intimate studio theatre, the earthy set is built around a large round bed surrounded by a wooden walkway which transports us in one leap from the saucy shenanigans of the boudoir to the gritty reality of life on the streets. We meet Fanny as a toothless old crone who is forced to write down the details of her life to pay off a debt. Unlike the book, April De Angelis's adaptation has no happy ending and puts the lusty goings-on in their proper context of post-Revolutionary reaction. Nevertheless, Fanny has plenty of fun along the way and what is essentially Jane Austen-style pornography is brought to life superbly by the Dukes team. The scarlet-clad Fanny played by Patti Love is resplendent as the older, experienced madam who leads the younger Louisa (Julie Riley) and Swallow (Sarah Turnbull) through their paces. Steamy romps ensue and the air thickens with blue humour especially when the sexy Louisa spices up the atmosphere with naughty one liners delivered in a gutsy, Mancunian accent. The light relief caused a good few belly laughs and we were treated to a right carry on with the entire cast gloriously sending up sexual mores and manners. Throughout the action, comic facial expressions seduced the audience into fits of laughter but the tone darkened towards the end of the evening as de Angelis tore up Cleland's happy ending to portray the reality behind the fleshy fun and frolics. Ewan Marshall's bodice-ripping production is a brave start to the Duke's new season and comes highly recommended but be warned - it gets a bit steamy in there.

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