Brief Encounter

We were greeted at the venue by two very well turned out usherettes with shiny braid, jaunty caps and seamed stockings. This set the scene for Director Steve Foster’s production of Brief Encounter. Every aspect had been created with care and attention to detail. Period music was played at appropriate levels throughout the production by Nick Newton seated at a piano cunningly disguised as a Wurlitzer organ. The staging was relatively simple but there was a clear delineation of locations made by a change of cast, furniture or props. The social niceties of 1930s England were understood; ladies were shown to their seats, rarely hung their own coats up and didn’t pour their own champagne. Having the main characters seated amongst the audience was a clever start to the action, as was using the usherettes’ torches to create spotlights. Using pre-recorded voices for the children worked well and having the cast use the coat rack on stage signalled the passage of time or change of scene to the audience.

The cast were confident in their roles and even the smallest of performances added to the whole. Jordyn Linklater’s Dr Alec Harvey had an excellent cut glass English accent, this was even more of an achievement when I heard his natural South African after the performance! He is a believable yet relaxed performer and had some lovely comic moments. Chrissie Fordham as Laura Jesson, also had a good accent and gave us a character yearning for more, but too reserved to act on her unexpected feelings. Her switches from acting with others to internal monologues were very effective.

Becky Vincent and Lee Barnes, Myrtle Bagot and Albert Godby, provided the light relief and comedy moments. They both showed good physicality and I will never again ‘do the accounts’ without a smile on my face. Rosalea Hall and Thomas Mace were the young dreamers Stanley and Beryl. They demonstrated a tenderness and excitement clouded by concern for the future.

There were lovely cameos from Ginny Elliston-Madden and Jonathan Whitmore. Neither of them were on stage for long but they both had impact and helped move the story on.

There was one basic set, the tea room at Milford Junction, but changing furniture, props and cast members made sure we knew when locations had changed. These changes were efficiently done by the cast. Costumes were an important aspect of this production. They suggested differences in status by different accessories including handbags, gloves, hats, shoes and jewellery, well done. Make up was also appropriate to the time.

The props used also showed an attention to detail, the tea room till used £ s d, the fire had flames, the crockery was the correct style and Alec had a suitably battered doctor’s bag. Lighting was slick, I particularly liked the spotlights used for Laura’s monologues and the low strobe to signify the train moving. The sound effects of trains, the telephone and the water splash added to the story.

This was a very enjoyable and thoughtful production, my one criticism was that Laura’s husband’s final line was almost lost under the sound of the train, I’m not sure I would have heard it further back in the audience.

Everyone gave 100% to their performance, even if that was sitting and reading a newspaper or silently having afternoon tea with a friend. Bravo Heath Players!

 

 

 

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