A Servant to Two Masters

So, I finally get to see ADHOC back in their home on their brand new all singing stage in the recently revamped Harrold Centre. It has certainly been well kitted out and provided a lot more space for all concerned. The guys on the sound desk who I had a word with at the interval were certainly enthusiastic and gave the impression they had been let loose in the sweet shop!  No more operating in a cramped shoe box at which I hasten to add ADHOC are particular good. Looks like The Harrold Centre will serve them well for many years to come.

The play they chose for their inaugural show in the new building is billed as a comedy, originally written in a loose structure in 1746 by Italian playwright, Carlo Goldoni and updated in in 1753 to include a tighter plot and more structured dialogue. This modern version, which keeps it original 18th century Venetian setting was rewritten by Lee Hall in 1999 for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Christmas show, which makes perfect sense as it contains many elements akin to an English pantomime.

The plot centres around Beatrice, masquerading as her dead brother who comes to Venice to collect dowry money from Pantalone, father to her bother’s betrothed, Clarice whilst at the same time searching for her lover, Florindo whom she wishes to marry but who killed Beatrice’s brother because he tried to forbid their relationship. Meanwhile Truffaldino, servant to Florindo and with an eye for the main chance and always ravenously hungry, takes up the offer to become servant to Beatrice as well and, not realising their connection to each other, desperately seeks to keep them apart. He soon becoming involved in serious problems when given items to pass to ‘his master’, but without knowing which one. Needless to say therefore that this unlikely plot should quickly be dismissed as merely a vehicle for the comedic moments of farce. You can guess there will be the happy ever after ending before it even starts.

Before the play begins as the audience are arriving we were treated to a live classical guitar recital by the excellent David Messenger. Unfortunately, I only caught the last few minutes, but the audience reaction told me it was well received. It certainly all added to the ambiance of the evening.

Set designer Paul Alexander had certainly gone to town and taken advantage of the new space with a full box set of Venetian architecture including some splendid arched doorway entrances. Excellent start, and I loved the colour scheme, but not sure about the middle window which did remind me of early double glazing.

Lighting by Chris Chaplin and Paul Alexander and sound by Pete Keeley and Adam Russell was spot on which indicated they are settling into their new home very well and getting to master the new environment. This inaugural show wisely called for very few special effects, but I expect they are raring to be let loose when the occasion arises.

Costumes, mainly I gather by Fran Ross, were suitably Venetian with some splendid styles and colours that added greatly to the both the period setting and the comedy. With makeup to compliment by Rosa Alaluf the stage was set for the action

Rick Davis as Truffaldino, the main character is a consummate and experienced actor with a great sense of comic timing and for whom this role could easily have been written. His experience of handling an audience certainly helped carry the action.

Matt Rowson played Florindo with a well judged naivety which allowed Truffaldino to continually pull the wool over his eyes. All in all there were some very competent performance from the men, Simon Wells as Pantaloon, Mike Alison as Innkeeper Brighella and Simon Alahuf as Silvio. A special mention to director Phil Briggs, suddenly forced to step in at the last minute to take over from the unwell Tony Lockwood, as Dr Lombardi who did a sterling job at such short notice.

For the ladies, Sandra Messenger was born to play a principal boy and carried off the part of Beatrice with some aplomb, questioning Truffaldino with suspicion on many an occasion and giving that look of I don’t quite believe you but I can’t prove otherwise. Well done to Michela Parma who playing her first part on stage as Clarice in a language which was not her own. Her own natural (I assume Italian?) accent actually suited the play better than anybody else’s. But it was Fran Ross as Truffaldino’s love interest Smeraldina, with her broad Scottish brogue who was my outstanding performance, delivering some splendid one liners including the biggest belly-laugh with a perfectly timed expletive.

This was good stab at a play I’ve not seen before by Director Phil Briggs and his team, but I have seen the other modern version, One Man, Two Guvnors and the audience reaction to both was exactly the same, which is it funny in places, but is also turgid at times with long passages with very few comedic moments. I’m not sure updating a restoration comedy truly works for a British audience. Both are billed as side-splitting comedy, but both audiences gave more occasional titters than belly-laughs and they didn’t quite know what to make of it in places. They were listening and concentrating, but something and I can’t quite put my finger on it was missing. I don’t think it’s the actors or the direction so perhaps it’s the play itself, which is not quite as funny to an English audience as we think it should be.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.