A Chorus of Disapproval

This iconic play tells the story of Pendon’s Light Operatic Society’s rehearsal and eventual stage performance of  John Gay’s operetta The Beggars Opera, and a very play funny and excellent play it turned out to be.

The play opens with the stage finale of the final performance and then we are taken back to the rehearsal room, to meet the company and are treated to the highs and lows and ups and downs of amateur theatre. There were some lovely performances during the performance. Seb Coombe playing Guy Jones, joined the company as a shy retiring young man, who turned out to be quite a Lothario, having extra curricula activity with quite a number of the female cast. He also ends up playing the leading role of Mc Heath. An excellent performance from Seb. Following close behind was James Spark as Welsh Artistic Director, Daffydd Ap Llewellen. He really was the director from hell, another very fine acting performance.

The ladies of the company, and  also lady friends of Guy were all well played. Caroline Robertson was superb as Fay Hubbard, Sarah Waters, played the long  suffering wife of the director, and Jen Heron played Rebecca. All were rather partial to a little on the side with the very fortunate Guy Jones .There husbands, also members of the company were also rather partial to other ladies, so there were quite a number of eternal rectangles going on during the course of the play.

I can imagine this play being very complex play to set, but long standing member John Metcalfe did an excellent job with a very experienced cast. The set was quite minimal, but worked very well. The false prosceneiums and backcloth were superbly painted by Sarah Waters. Sound effects were all right on cue, and lighting was appropriate to the plot.

The play was a very good offering from this talented company, and there wasn’t a weak link in the production. A verse or two of Mac the Knife would have made good house music, buts that just my opinion.All in all an excellent evenings  entertainment from The Green Room Club
   

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