A Bunch of Amateurs

Keen to boost his flagging career, fading Hollywood action hero, Jefferson Steele, arrives in England to play King Lear in Stratford only to find that this is not the birthplace of the Bard but a sleepy Suffolk village and the cast are a bunch of amateurs, in desperate need to save their Hall from destruction.

The central character ‘Jefferson’, is played with great strength and presence by John Caldwell convincingly displaying a monstrous ego insisting on all the perks he once enjoyed as a star. His agent is unable to extract him from his contract and the national publicity that went with this apparent gesture to help save the village hall, so begrudgingly continues albeit at first struggling to learn his lines, demonstrating an underlying fragility.

He is not the only one with a dash of ego, as ‘Nigel’ one of the amateur cast clearly felt he should be playing King Lear to fulfil a life time’s wish. Andy Partington played the role for all it was worth with some great diction and timing. Some great comedy timing too from Mark Cox who played ‘Denis’ the local handyman and village ‘Fix it’ who takes a shining to Jefferson and fancied heading up his entourage of one.

Trying desperately to keep the cast together is Director ‘Dorothy’. Tracey Mann displays her accommodating manner, not without some determination, well.  Great support too from Claire Hadland, who as ‘Mary Plunkett’ is completely struck by Jefferson, provides bed and breakfast for him, amusingly gets totally confused about his previous film roles and overestimates his affection for her.

Backing up this opening night performance were Emma Paine as ‘Lauren’ the marketing executive whose former career as a physiotherapist almost gets her into trouble with Jefferson and Lucy-Charlotte Webb, as ‘Jessica Steele’, Jefferson’s daughter, previously neglected by her Father and seeking to catch up with him with vengeance on her mind. Both Emma and Lucy were convincing in their roles.

This was a strong opening night, given a first time audience that were well on board. The overall diction was good and I believe the production directed by Coral Dickinson will only gain in momentum with each audience.

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