Allo Allo

A really warm welcome greeted me in the foyer of Beccles Public Hall by the Chairman and front of house team of Spotlight musical theatre group to what turned out to be a very entertaining evening of comedy on Thursday 30th June 2022. A refreshing interpretation of the television series Allo Allo. This old fashioned type farce focuses on the beleaguered story of a cafe owner in Nouvion, France during the German occupation in World War 2 and the trials and tribulations he goes through with all the people embracing his life.

Rene Artois (Stu Precious) the cafe owner certainly resembled the ‘original’ in looks and indeed, characterised him perfectly and his wife Edith (Zina Vaitkeviciene) played the dutiful wife reproducing the tuneless singing with the necessary verve, causing the customers to fill their ears with ‘cheese’ and not ‘music’. Yvette (Clare Jameson), Mimi (Rebecca Martin) and Michelle (Charlotte Taylor) were suitably sexy love interests for Rene and the French team were well supported by Officer Crabtree (Ian Goddard) ‘woth opt ase if thu longuige’ and Leclerc (Anthony Greenslade) flapping in and out of scenes. The German Officers Schmelling (Steve Taylor), Von Strohm (Stephen Doyle) and Gruber (Kyle Mace) always threatened, producing the threats with the adept satirical style, while Otto Flick ( Joe Learner) and Helga (Natasha Bird) brought the duo alive in their personality portrayals of a gestapo officer with an accommodating ‘floosy’! The Italian influence Bertorelli (Claire Goddard) gave a touch of flirtation to the show and she overcame a lady/man role with ease. All the supporting cast added style to this much appreciated and refreshing play. The director (Charlotte Taylor) did an amazing job when asked to step into this role, with the support of her assistant (Mary Snow) The pandemic has a lot to answer for in a amateur theatre, but we will ‘win this war’. 

The furniture props and costumes were in step with World War 2 scenes and the staging issues were addressed with ‘split areas’ and worked well. Maybe use of levels is a consideration when working on a crowded stage. The lighting was varied to give the feel of different locations on the stage. 

Spotlight Musical Theatre Group should be proud of a very funny and totally entertaining Allo Allo with laughs and fun had by the audience. It also exuberated with joy and enthusiasm from the hard working cast. I was taken back to the television series with the characters and mannerisms of a show I enjoyed in the 80s and 90s. This was a captivating production. Well done to you all.

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