Comedy Double Bill (Trial by Jury & Fifty)

A comedy double bill sounded like a good evening’s entertainment so I was really looking forward to seeing this combination of something old and something new.

The operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan seem to be gaining a new popularity with amateur groups.  Part of this attraction is that they are out of copyright and therefore offer opportunities to be adventurous with the characters and settings while staying faithful to the storyline and music. Weathersfield Amateur Players chose to bring this briefest of G&S works into modern times and set it as a TV reality show, which worked really well.

First on set were a cameraman and soundman chatting away to each as they entered in front of the audience before making their way onto the stage. This made for a good opening to WAP’s modern version of events. Marion Wells did an excellent job as the social climbing Angelina, intent on eliciting every bit of sympathy from the studio audience/jurors and money from Edwin for breach of promise. Thomas Pleasant gave a good performance as Edwin who claims to be a drunkard with very little money.  Judge Drew, bemused by the whole proceedings and offering to marry Angelina himself was well played by Andrew Merryweather. 

The addition of a Guest Expert, Bouncer, Studio Manager, Intern and Studio Singers made for a very enjoyable production performed to a high standard with some excellent singing, accompanied by a small, well balanced band. Congratulations to Director & Musical Director Jessie Tabor.

After the interval we were ready for the second part of the programme, a play by Archie Wilson entitled “Fifty”.  The curtains opened to reveal a set of such a high standard that it was met with applause from the audience. While we had been munching away at our fish and chips the stage had been completely transformed from a court room/studio to a sitting room furnished and decorated in 1980’s style, complete, as far as I could see, in every detail.  What an excellent start and well done to the set builders.

What followed was a farce based around the fiftieth birthday celebrations of David, who unbeknown to his wife is having an affair with Charlotte from work.  A surprise party is planned by family and friends but David has plans of his own.  A policewoman and pizza delivery person are both mistaken for strippergrams, an escaped prisoner  breaks in and is continually in and out of the coat cupboard until he is eventually caught and recognised by the daughter’s boyfriend who is himself casing the joint.  And so it went on. There was some good acting from Richard Burdge as David, the husband going through a mid-life crisis and Margaret McCloud as his wife.  Keith Shilling was hilarious as neighbour George, mistaking all female callers for the strippergram he had booked for David and doing some unappreciated bottom squeezing along the way. Gill Watson as Charlotte, bravely came on stage scantily dressed and played her part to great comic effect. This was good community theatre for which the audience showed their appreciation.  Congratulations to Sandy Burdge on her first outing as a Director.

These were not two random pieces brought together to provide an evening’s entertainment, but as mentioned in the programme are based on the impact of a philanderer. Is there something about Wethersfield of which I am unaware?

Well done to all involved.  I had a very enjoyable evening.

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