BRIEF ENCOUNTER

I would imagine there are few people who do not know the story of "Brief Encounter". In fact judging by the age of the audience on the night I attended most of them were filmgoers when the Trevor Howard, Celia Johnson film was released. This film quickly became a classic and nowadays is repeated endlessly on TV in the afternoons.

The two main characters, Laura Jesson and Alec Harvey, were portrayed beautifully by Jennifer Mears and Dan Holyhead. Sensitive performancs, well directed. I didn't quite see the need for the striptease act they performed and it took a little while to realise they were in someone's flat for an illicit afternoon.  Michelle Jennings as Tea Room Manageress Myrtle Bagot and Alan Lowe as Station Master Albert Godby provide many of the laughs and together with Rebecca Holmes as Beryl and Stephen Ralph as Stanley her boyfriend, were supporting characters who kept the story moving along. Sam Evans played Fred Jesson Laura's dull and predictable husband who successfully wins his wife back to his side. This version of the play was interspersed with Noel Coward songs and dances performed during the "passages of time" between the main characters arriving for their weekly liaison. Other members of the Players covered various roles and it was interesting to see their lady of many parts, Anne Chamberlain, in her many guises. A very effective ending with Alec alone on stage singing a lovely song.

Lighting design, set design were good and sound effects of the train really made the station come alive.

The only thing that irritated me almost beyond words was the props. Tea served without liquid in the pot, cups stirred with nothing in them, food eaten off a plate with a knife and fork but with no food, champagne served and then glasses refilled from a champagne bottle out of an ice bucket but again no liquid. In the theatre nowadays meals are cooked on stage, served then and eaten without pretending. I know because I have prepared food side stage and served ginger ale in glasses for champage etc. I realise that Health and Safety now have lots of rules but you can only pretend so much without looking ridiculous. During some of these scenes I detected giggles from the audience sitting around me.

A really good production spoiled for me by lack of detail.

Jean Beard

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