Celebration

My next NODA visit was to Lowther Pavilion and for the comedy play Celebration by Keith Waterhouse & Willis Hall.  This was a very wordy but funny piece and the cast  coped really well in putting across the authenticity of the Yorkshire family. The first act follow the family preparing for a wedding above a small country pub - The Cricketers Arms.  The second act follows the same family after the tragic loss of Uncle Arthur and returning home from the funeral and wake, although a little darker still very funny. The set filled the stage and was really appropriate for what was happening in the script. There was a technical issue with the boundry mics at the front of the stage and a couple of the formers finding it difficult to get round in a couple of the scenes, which was a little bit awkward. The lighting was simple but effective and did everything needed.  Projection from the actors was good, all lines were nice and clear. I was sat towards the rear of the auditorium and it was very clear to hear all the lines - well done. Unfortunately the house wasn’t as full as it should’ve been as is normal with a play but the audience enjoyed what they saw and were quite active with their applause and laughter throughout the show. 

There were some really strong performances namely Rosie Withers who played Rhoda Lucas, the mother of the family and the main organiser of the wedding preparations and hostess of the post funeral meeting.  Rosie’s character was strong and reminded me a little of a cross between Nora Batty and Mrs Bucket!  The downtrodden dad - Edgar Lucas was played by Andy Cooke.  He was suitably submissive and the timing of his one liners were perfect.  The script in places was a little slow but that was not to do with the performers, it was just down to the writing. The performers delivered the script and their comedic lines very well and obviously had been very well rehearsed. One of my favourite performers in the play was Ann Slack, she played the ditsy and extremely naive niece of The Lucas couple. She was definitely an audience favourite that had the audience laughing out loud throughout the whole play - well done. The timid couple of Christine Lucas and Bernard Fuller played by Emily Cartmell and Justin De Rizzio-George respectively performed their roles with just enough energy but with enough reserve to make you feel sorry for them in the first half, they both came across very believable. Uncle Arthur played by Glyn Morton was another one of my favourites he was fantastic. It was a shame he was only in the first half but he performed the role perfectly. The character Frank Broadbent played by Richard Spilman was the all knowing uncle who had an answer for everything was played wonderfully well, I’m sure we all know an uncle just like that.  Another funny performance was given by Mandy Hall in the role of Margo Fuller, there was some fantastic background acting sending waves of laughter around the auditorium.  I enjoyed the clash of characters between Rhoda Lucas and Irene Howes, sisters that clearly had a difference of opinion on most things. Andrea Cave played the role of Irene Howes and she came across as wonderfully stern.  I struggled early on in Act 1 to hear everything from Mathew Eaton who played the character Jack Lucas but I have to say it was only in the first 20 minutes, delivery improved and I didn’t struggle from then on.  Act 2 introduced us to uncle Arthur‘s love interest May Beckett played by Rosemary Roe, Rosemary’s delivery of this character was outstanding, her comic timing and her ability to flip from anger to comedy was first class and who again gave a very strong performance and was a shame she was only in the second act.  We also meet Stan Dyson the love interest of the Lilian Howes played by Tim Cave, the entrance earlier in Act 1 wearing a balaclava was confusing at first but as we learn about his character and how quirky he is, maybe not so much!  I particularly enjoyed the part where he was chopping up all the furniture for the fire wood, with some funny outcomes.  The remaining characters of Edna Fuller played by Kath Greenwood, Alice Fuller played by Vera Cummins and Lionel Fuller played by Tim Greenwood all gave fantastic supporting performances. The final performer Chris Slack played the slightly inebriated Sgt Major Tommy Lodge and I have to say he was a very convincing drunk. He had the crowd laughing out loud a couple of times with his miss pronunciation.  Congratulations to Paul Lomax who was the director of this piece. It was clearly well drilled, there were some great ideas and direction was clear.  Costumes were perfectly suitable for the time and setting and all the props and scenery suited the story.

I’ve never seen this play before and didn’t know what to expect but thoroughly enjoyed my evening watching Celebration and was warmly welcomed by The Fylde Coast Players. During my time as District 2 NODA representative I have viewed more plays than I’ve seen before so far and I’m looking forward to seeing some more very soon. The calibre of performances in our local actors has to be said is very high. Thank you for making me feel so welcome in the evening and I look forward to seeing another one of your performances very soon.

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