Women in Tropical Places

'I just have affairs with strangers who make things up' confesses elegant Argentinian Celia (Doody). Arriving in Newcastle to meet businessman George, she is dumped by one of his henchmen in a hotel suite, shared by bizarre cabaret artistes Scarlet (O'Hara) and her bald daughter Charmaine (Reah), plus assorted wacky visitors. George is nowhere in sight, but to the horror of Celia, an active member of the International Revolutionary League, a local hate campaign has been launched against his proposal to redevelop the town using non-union labour. This first feature is full of half-realised ideas, but quickly loses all sense of pace and direction. The combination of cabaret turns, social commentary and frustrated libidos, while potentially intriguing, is ultimately too incohesive. Where is George? Why is he buying an ice-cream in one of Celia's fantasies? Why so many flashbacks of Celia's half-hearted ministrations to cheerfully posed peasants? Is she bored, patronising, or just well-dressed? You give up wondering.