Boeing, Boeing

This typical French Farce by Camoletti was slickly produced with a sextet of experienced actors whose timing was spot on.  All six were characters in their own right and were superbly contrasted.   

There was the lugubrious housekeeper and rota guru, Bertha, dourly played by Carolyn Ferguson. Steve Taverner, the back slapping Bernard, made a plausible, if reprehensible Lothario whose exploits became more and more entangled throughout the play. The highly adept Pete Harris played his moral friend Bernard and was both shocked and bewildered by the naughty events that were routinely taking place, although he too, eventually succumbed - in the nicest possible way, of course.

The three air hostesses who unknowingly took turns in being the only true love of Bernard`s heart, were played by Nessa Law, Trish Hall and Vickie Quilter. Nessa was the highly excitable American Gloria who, it transpires, was also double crossing Bernard. The part called for the very opposite of the usual slow voiced American drawl and we were thus treated to non-stop barrage of trivia, all centred round Gloria.  A very exhausting performance. Trish played Gabrielle the English hostess, although why she wasn`t Gabriella the Italian I don`t know.  It would have made a better contrast, particularly as the part called for a suspicious young lady which, one imagines, the Italians might well be, given the free and easy romances associated with the Latin temperament.  Trish was none-the-less the most believable of the three ladies as she played the part with just enough British reserve to temper what one might hope to be, her moral lapse in having a affair with Bernard outside of marriage. However, it was Vickie Quilter, the German Gretchen, who stole the show.  This was a part which required several changes of delivery and Vickie came up trumps every time.  She, like Carolyn is in many of the CAODS productions and each time these two ladies give the audience most satisfying, unique performances.  

The actors` delivery was more projected than of late with much of the dialogue delivered front stage rather than well back, as is too often the case.  It really does help if the actors merely give a token nod in the right direction, then continue their lines facing towards the audience.  After all, this is stagecraft and not television, where the dialogue can and does come from any direction.  On stage one has to cheat.

The single set was very functional, with several doors leading off from the main room. These well used doors plus the general décor and minimum furniture, all added up to give a most realistic interior of a French apartment.

Lovely glossy programme as is usual with CAODS, plus their smartly dressed, smiling front of house team to welcome us were much appreciated.  Also, there was a happy piano recital by an un named musician during the interval.  In all, a most pleasurable evening and if you have enjoyed this experience, don`t forget their panto Peter Pan in December.
      

 

                

  .    

 

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.