Billy Liar

Billy Liar was written by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall and tells the story of a young man from the North, Billy Fisher, who weaves a world of his own out of his day dreams. He is an incurable liar, idle and dishonest, and to escape from his dull job as an undertaker’s clerk and his dreary domestic background he imagines himself in so many different situations that truth and fiction become hopelessly intermingled. His family is unable to understand or control him but do realize that he is a good for nothing. 

The group are the first to perform in a new space, Studio 107, at the Strutt Centre and on the face of it, it seems to be an ideal area to meet their needs and the audience have nice comfortable seats - a definite bonus!

The set design and staging was top notch. The realistic creation of a 1960’s living room complete with authentic props of the times was just amazing (loved the flying birds) and there was even a small outside area. The attention to detail is very characteristic of this group. 

To find someone that can not only cope with the huge undertaking of playing Billy but who also has the necessary capabilities to carry it off is essential, and Joseph Riley was indeed just that person. He was totally at ease in the role portraying the complexities of the character superbly. He was totally convincing, even quite likeable, whilst at the same time stringing everyone along with his lies, deceits and extravagant stories. An excellent performance. Great and crucial support came from the rest of the cast members. We first met Billy’s grandmother, Florence Boothroyd, before the play even started as she was having her feet washed and massaged by Billy’s mother as we entered the auditorium. Lisa Benson was delightfully eccentric as Florence. Her whole demeanour, her mumblings about the old days and what should be done about Billy were just perfect. Billy’s father, Geoffrey Fisher, is totally infuriated, dumbfounded and exasperated by his son’s inability to conform and Mik Horvath brilliantly conveyed all of these traits. His angry outbursts were quite formidable and I did think at one point that he really was ‘going to blow a gasket’. A truly superb performance. Another fine and believable delivery came from Verna Baylis who was every inch the maternal, emotional, concerned and bewildered mother. Billy is engaged to two girls at the same time but only one of them has a ‘ring’. Barbara, prudish, intense, dreaming of marriage, children and living in a cottage, is that girl. She was played to perfection by Lou Jenkins who throughout had to constantly eat oranges, terrific dedication! Her rival for the ‘ring’ was Rita and Brianna Lindy went to great pains to express her feelings on the matter. Her over the top, vicious outpourings and insults to both Billy and his family were just great. Liz, an old flame, returns to the mix. She was delightfully and calmly played by Mollie Middleton and you really felt that she cared for Billy and that this ‘love’ was returned. There was a lovely chemistry between the two of them and her wanting to get away and for Billy to go with her seemed as if it was finally going to happen and Billy was going to sort himself out. He even packed a case and walked out to catch the midnight train to London with Liz. But no, he reappears, empties his case and sits on the settee............ oh well, Liz did try. One person I’ve not mentioned was Andrew Barlow who gave good support as Arthur Crabtree, Billy’s best friend. 

We were all asked to leave the auditorium at the interval and on the way out, along the corridor, children from the Propbox Theatre were taking part in various activities. When I reached the bar area Tracey Wilkinson and Tina Hampton - ‘Sounds of the Sisters’ were introduced by John Briscoe as Cliff the Compere and the girls proceeded to sing well known songs from the 60’s. However, ‘Shadrack and the Shovellers’ - Roger Whiting, John Taylor and Jeremy Crane, were desperate to do their ‘bit’ and after much agitation and questioning managed to get in on the act!  Cast members joined in dancing along to the music. What a super addition to the show - I loved it. Appropriate costumes, excellent lighting, the splendid set and props and of course the extremely talented cast all added to make this a powerfully profound and theatrical piece of drama, with at times, some very amusing asides. Congratulations must go to Director, Jane Wilton and to her wonderful team.  

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