Beside the Seaside

Nunthorpe Players production of this gentle comedy play set in the 1950’s Sea View guest house proved to be a great hit with the sell-out audience who laughed and applauded alll the way through.

The tyrannical landlady Mrs Austin controls her guests the Pearson family, the thespians Pat and Tony, and the honeymooners Mr and Mrs Pepper along with the hapless house maid Florrie; in this British guest house creating a very funny script and a production that was well directed by Julie Hobson, flowing smoothly and timely throughout.  The audience setting cabaret style worked well in the church hall and created a good ambience for the evening complete with ice-cream seller! The static box set lounge was very nicely created and furnished really well, sound and lighting were right on cues and the costumes were colourful and very authentic to the period – well done team!

The 10 cast members made the play an joy to watch, and every word spoken was clearly heard with some lovely accents. “Mrs Austin” played by Norma Timney was a feisty tiny tyrant donning pinafore so typical of that era, Helen Franks excelled as the dominant “Ethel Pearson”, nicely dressed to the period, and portrayed her well with knitting ever present, protective mother to her rebelling daughter “Sally” played by Samantha Dobson, and wearing wife to husband “Wilf” played by Lee Rodgers as the down trodden husband desperate to take control but definitely under her thumb. His characterisation was great and energy in slapstick run-arounds was well suited.  Samantha a newcomer to this cast did well and portrayed her younger part dressed in the 50’s polka dots with thought and care.  Newly-weds “Daphne” and “Henry Pepper” were played by Karen Moore and Neil Mapplebeck as the innocent couple in appropriate suits setting out in life under less than perfect circumstances and both carried off their characters well.  Hapless housemaid “Florrie” was very well played by Jayne Kempen with costume and stance to portray the simpleton but with her penchant for male attractions and often had the comedy characterisations and lines to compete with Mrs Austin.  “Tony Brett” as played by Phil Sandford provides the play’s villain as the wide boy thespian sleazy and yet dapper and does wrong by his faithful partner “Pat” played ably by Helen Hughff. The cast was completed by the final scene appearance of policeman played by Mike Wilkinson waiting for his appearance whilst holding the fort as Stage Manager too.

Well done Nunthorpe Players for a lovely enjoyable evening.

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