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Come on Jeeves!

Author: Decia Ranger

Information

Date
28th May 2022
Society
Clavering Players
Venue
Clavering Village Hall, Essex
Type of Production
Play
Director
Rachel Betts
Musical Director
N/A
Choreographer
N/A

It’s always a pleasure to see a production by Clavering Players.  This time we were welcomed by Megan and offered refreshments as we took our seats at a table just in front of the stage.  The decision to seat the audience at tables, rather than theatre style was, I understand, to fill the hall due to the relatively low ticket sales for the performance. This was such a shame as the play was hilarious with every one of the cast giving a very convincing performance.

The production was in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and formed part of the village celebrations. Appropriately it is set in 1952. The single set was that of a faded drawing room in a large ancestral home in need of restoration. It was well dressed with a sofa, a chaise longue, various other pieces of furniture and paintings, etc. as well as peeling wallpaper, giving an indication of the state of the property in general. One thing that caught my eye though was the modern eyelet topped curtain at the French windows and that was before it fell down! 

Earl Towcester appears to have gambled away what was left of the family fortunes and in an effort to try and turn things around and with the aid of butler Jeeves, on loan from Bertie Wooster, decides to become a turf accountant having lost most of his fortune to the bookies.  Alas the outcome is not as he’d hoped and so selling the old house seems to be the best plan.  A good performance by Martin Gouldstone as the Earl.  David Liddle was trying his best to portray the competent Jeeves despite being the subject of much calling out from the back of the hall. I realise this was not meant to be menacing, also that the play was supposed to be light hearted.  However, on several occasions it appeared to make it difficult for him to stay in character, which I felt was a shame.

Lord and Lady Carmoyle were well played by Matt Elliston and Rebecca Monk and a good performance by Rosie Dean as the Earl’s fiancé Jill.  John Oglesby as Game Hunter Captain Biggar, dressed throughout in safari suit with shorts and helmet had arrived to collect his winnings.  His belief in the merits of “Yogah”, to which he frequently referred, seemed so out of character as to be quite hilarious.   

Rachel Betts was absolutely amazing as Mrs Spottsworth.  An American clairvoyant, she is quite overcome with emotion at the idea of buying the crumbling Towcester Abbey, complete with the resident ghost of Lady Agatha. A completely over the top performance and a terrific American accent which was kept up throughout.  Very well done.

Sometimes we go to great lengths to obtain just the right sound effects and I understand that Mark Dymond created the sound of an old radio, or should I say wireless, by speaking into a teapot behind the scenes, reading his lines by torchlight. The result was very authentic.

This was a brilliant comedy, very well performed and it was good to be able to chat with some of the cast after the show.  Altogether a very enjoyable evening’s entertainment and an excellent start to the village’s festivities. 

Thank you for inviting me and for your hospitality.

 

 

 

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