'Allo, 'Allo, ' Allo Est There Any Body La?

This was the first time I’d seen this supernatural farce by Ian Hornby. It wasn't straightforward; it began with Act 2, followed by Act 3, then Act 1 (if the cast had time!). The cast and the audience had to stay alert to follow the plot and understand who was being murdered and by whom.

The cast managed a complex script effectively, using pauses and facial expressions, and the quick entrances and exits kept the play's pacing consistent. The direction aimed to mimic an amateur dramatic group presenting a murder mystery gone wrong, requiring exaggerated acting from the Wombwell Thespians, expertly guided by Jeff Tiler. The set design was exceptional and enhanced the production's flow along with the lighting and sound effects.

Sir Malcom Simpson-Squire was murdered and before the police arrived the housekeeper, Mabel, just to confuse things moved the carpet with his body’s outline to the drawing room (but where was the body?). Detective Inspector Diane Sides was tasked with solving the murder case, assisted by the somewhat inept Detective Sergeant Vic Fickey. Fortunately, Police Constable Eve Ning-all ("Evening all", get it?) provided much needed support and the same actor then also appeared as Fifi, the French maid. Adding to the complexity, there were other characters, including Smalls the butler and Lady Amelia Simpson-Squire who claimed to be able to communicate with her husband's ghost, leading others to question her sanity. As the play progressed, Smalls, DS Fickey and Lady Amelia also fell victim to murder and all of them came back as ghosts. Thus, the question remains: who is the murderer?                                                        

The cast delivered an excellent performance of this unusual play with clear diction throughout. Andrea Savage perfectly portrayed the housekeeper Mabel, while Andy Harris nailed the role of the butler, Smalls. Lewis Conway as DS Vic Fickey and Jill Connell as DI Diane Sides were both spot on with their characterisations. Andrea Eustis gave an amazing performance in the dual roles of PC Eve and Fifi the French maid, seamlessly switching outfits and accents between the two.

Jane Newton made a strong debut as Lady Amelia, complete with attire to suit the character. Following Robert Wilson's sudden illness, John Hill took over Sir Malcolm's role with only two weeks to prepare and he performed admirably, as did Malcolm Hyde who also stepped in at short notice to handle the lighting and sound duties.

Just to add yet another twist to the play, at the opening we saw a hooded figure (Sue Gent) enter and stab the housekeeper in the back, but then again it was Act 2 we watched first!!   With not many characters left, who was the killer? – a very cleverly disguised twist.

This production needed excellent direction, acting and technical work to become an engaging and hilarious piece of theatre, which it certainly was. Congratulations to everyone involved.

Thank you for the invite and a lovely evening out to the theatre.

Sue Cox - Drama Rep, Region 14

NODA N.E.

 

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