A Bunch of Amateurs

There’s quite a lot to get your head round here.  An amateur dramatic society presenting a play in their village hall about an amateur dramatic society presenting a play in their village hall certainly asked questions of the company, not all of which were answered satisfactorily.  Staging a play entitled “A Bunch of Amateurs” also invites a particular line of criticism, which certainly isn’t merited.  The show provided a challenge, and the company responded with an entertaining production in which there was much to admire.

The idea of a big-shot American being taken on a journey of self-discovery when removed from his comfort zone is a familiar one.  In this case, a Hollywood megastar (Jefferson Steel), keen to burnish his serious actor credentials by appearing with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon, instead finds himself booked by his incompetent agent to appear with the Stratford Players in rural Suffolk.  The co-directors certainly brought the play to life, but to my mind it never quite flew.  The actors with the best grasp of the material were able to deliver the most rounded, nuanced performances, while the actors who were less secure found this uncertainty could undermine their characterisation.

The set design made good use was made of the wide but shallow stage at Eynsham Village Hall, with the area upstage left expertly dressed with an interesting and eclectic collection of properties.  The newspaper front pages were realised brilliantly, while Lear’s throne, upstage centre throughout the show, allowed parallels to be drawn between Jefferson’s character and the part he was playing.  The mainstream Shakespearean costumes looked splendid, while the contemporary everyday costumes, which can be so difficult to judge, were nicely matched to the different characters.

In the end, this play is a love letter to amateur theatre and to the disparate groups of people who come together to produce and perform plays.  What could be more appropriate than a bunch of amateurs coming together to stage “A Bunch of Amateurs”?  This description probably sells The Bartholomew Players short as the quality of their productions is consistently high, but this was a timely reminder of the financial and practical challenges faced by amateur companies, and the quality and value of what they do.

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