Allo Allo

Everyone who goes along to a play such as 'Allo Allo' expects it to be exactly as it was on television with every member of the cast matching their TV character. This is, of course, impossible but Knaresborough Players managed it as near as they possibly could.

 A lovely relaxed Rene (Colin Smith) kept us informed about the goings on in his little French village. He juggled his relationships with his two attractive waitresses Yvette (Sarah Chisem) and Mimi (Marie Chapman) under the ever watchful eye of his tuneful wife Edith (Doreen Driffield). Their cabaret  performance for the German Officers was a joy to watch.

Herr Flick (John Westmancoat) and Helga (Emilie Knight) were a well matched couple and had certainly studied their characters well as had a well cast Lieut. Gruber (Jocelyn Cook).

The accents are used so well in this play with policeman Crabtree (Ian Hagues) and his pidgin French and Michelle from the French Resistance (Lesley Wheal) switching between her 'English' and 'French'.

There are so many scene changes and this is easy to achieve on television but not so easy on a small stage. This problem was overcome well by the use of screens and helpful signs and by the well organised scene shifters. The main set and furnishings were very effective and the props throughout the play were excellent.

The costumes were very suitable in most cases although I think some of the German soldiers would have had to smarten up for Herr Hitler.

This was a bawdy light hearted glimpse into life in a wartime village and everyone had a good chuckle at the antics with the German sausage and the Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies.An entertaining evening with plenty of laughs and happy memories of the TV show.

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