A Night on the Tiles

Rather a misleading title but a very good choice of play with strong script and twisted comedy and a good range of ages and types needed for the casting.

What an excellent setting with that attention to detail and period (Critall windows and door) which really set off the plot with the pair of semis and displayed the sequence of events in style, just loved that privy which was so important to the story. Also many congratulations to the sound and continuity for that excellent and background non-stop 1963/1964 medley of music to set the scene and to keep the whole evening in period.

The casting worked extremely well with parents Doris and Reg (Margaret White in strong voice and long suffering Chris Morter) surviving many years of marriage with tolerance and strength, and also surviving the difficulties of living en familie with two sons  in a semi, plus Grandad, and next door to that amazing character neighbour played by Jeanette Cruickshank ( a dream of a role). What can one say about Richard Crawley except yet another great character cameo as the drinking Grandad who never worked out which boy was married. And to the triangle of youth, and how good to have the right ages of cast, of brothers Kenneth (Tom Key) and Gareth (Paul Woodhouse), and the ‘rose between the thorns’ Shirley from Beth Robertson; this was a very believable problem situation with the quarrelling brothers filled with underlying jealousy and doubts, the attractions of both brothers to the girl, and who was the father of the baby? The relationships in this triangle were well drawn, the situations from the hidden words overheard in the privy and the various problems to overcome came over well, this play had comedy and also some tragedy but above all the characters were all very credible and well portrayed.

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