Are You Being Served

The  show began  with the iconic music of this great British Sitcom, written and created by the legendary Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft.  The BBC series ran for 69 episodes in the mid 70’s and 80’s and the story revolves around the staff of the Grace Brothers Department Store.  In the 1976 stage adaption, the staff are treated to a Grace Brothers holiday in Spain at the one star Hotel  Don Bernardo. 

This comedy and all the characters with their quirky mannerisms  are all so well known to the majority of their audiences.   Indeed I heard one lady say during the performance “he has even got the walk”  When  attempting one of these types  of production  from  a classic television series,  it is so easy for the actors to either overplay or underplay their attempts at characterisation, requiring  strong control from the director. In general, this was managed very well by the director,  Matt Girt.

Nice to see  the near capacity audience who were kept amused with the double entendres, innuendos and cheeky comedy and applauded the cast enthusiastically at the curtain call.  I’m sure  Karen Buckenham had fun  playing Mrs Slocombe and  she captured the character perfectly.  Helen Johns played  Miss  Brahms, and Marcus Nichols as Mr Lucas  were well cast in their roles. Well done to Chris Fryer in his part as Mr Humphries,  who we had seen in a main role in another production,  just four weeks ago;  such a talented and reliable actor.   There were also nice cameos  from Neville Woolnough as Mr Mash and Abbie Lock as Conchita. Well worthy of honourable mention.

The costumes were good, with what looked like polyester  dresses for both ladies in the shop scenes and right down to the union jack drawers  for Mrs Slocombe.  The set changes  sometimes  seemed  slow and the pace  which is so essential in comedy did falter as  some of the characters struggled for their lines  and respective identities  occasionally.  A small criticism in an otherwise entertaining production.

 Well done to all,  and we will certainly look forward to your next production.

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