Brief Encounter

‘Brief Encounter’ by Huddersfield Thespians at The Lawrence Batley Theatre, directed by Alistair Cheetham, was a great evening’s entertainment.

Adapted for the stage by Emma Rice from the stage play ‘Still Life’ and film screenplay ‘Brief Encounter’ both written by Noel Coward this clever and witty presentation focuses on a chance meeting in a Railway Station between Alec Harvey (Trevor Jones) and Laura Jesson (Hannah Head).   Head was wonderful as the awkward and uptight Laura, married to the dull and dreary Fred (Kyle Gallagher).  Head gave Laura the elegance this part requires and maintained just the right level of ‘middle-class decorum’.  However, the affair unlocks a part of her character that even she herself was unaware of.    Jones engagingly portrayed the charming and endearing Doctor Harvey who is met with a barrage of emotions and moral conflicts as the affair moves on.

What was thoroughly enjoyable about this play was the equal focus on other roles and the juxta-posed ‘goings on’ of the more relaxed lower-class characters.  Myrtle Bagot, Manageress of the Station Tea Room, (excellently played by Polly Bryan) and her assistant Beryl (the hilarious Michele Stevenson) along with their respective love interests Albert (Michael Sutton) and Stanley (Alistair Cheetham) were all very well cast in these roles, giving strong, entertaining and funny representations of their characters.

Gallagher, Sutton, Stevenson, Bryan and Cheetham also played all the other adult roles in the production and moved swiftly between characters.  All were very effective in the different individuals they played and maintained their characters so there was no confusions as to who they were portraying.  The cast quickly and effectively moved between roles with clever costume additions and an array of props.

I was in awe of the two youngest members of the cast Iwan Jones and Katelynn Ball who took the roles of Bobbie and Margaret (Laura and Fred’s son and daughter) as well playing the ‘children in 2022’.  They played their parts excellently.

The performance space, with audience on three sides, was well-used.  The changes between over 20 scenes and re-configuring of the set and props to present a multitude of different settings was well-managed by all the cast including Iwan & Katelynn who very maturely took responsibility for moving certain pieces of furniture and did so effectively.  Sound and light were excellent and there had clearly been a lot of work put into the set build and wardrobe to achieve just the right atmosphere.

The production was interspersed with short musical numbers and all were very well presented from the group who I understand don’t usually ‘sing’. 

A wonderful time was had by everyone on stage and in the audience.  Congratulations must go to the Production Team, performers, stage crew and everyone front of house for giving us a super evening’s entertainment.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.