Comic Potential

A very clever satirical play from the pen of Ayckbourn with an excellent slant on the production to bring out all the quirks and funny lines and different aspects and to capitalise on the large cast from a talented play group, Richard Crawley did not miss a trick. Soap operas and TV studios and robot actoids and ‘real’ acting and a ‘has-been’ film director with ‘would-be’ writer: what a scenario to bring out the comedy situations. A strong team in the TV production side with a powerful portrayal by Laurence Barnett of Chandler very well supported by the ‘technical’ girls Prim and Trudi (Jo Williams and Hannah Steele); especially in the fight against the management primadonna Carla Pepperbloom (Maris McCann). Lovely underplayed cameo in wheel chair of Lester by Paul Woodhouse. As the hopeful writer, Adam Trainsmith, Josh Lincoln had to relate to all the TV Studio relationships, confrontations, and progressions towards the goal, all of which worked well with good pace and timing. He also had to set up the ‘romance’ factor and make it develop and deepen with the ‘actoid’, and made it very credible and emotional. As the ‘actoid’ Jacie Triplethree, Becky Scott gave a strong and quite remarkable performance: did she blink when in robot mode, did she emote and activate into dialogue and feelings and a learning curve for human when with Adam? Really these two players held the attention, brought out all the comedy in the situation, and gave extraordinary realisations and are to be congratulated. A big cast with mixed ages and many younger players shows the strength of the group and offers many opportunities for future productions; but this comedy struck the notes in great accord and gave the audience an evening of laughs plus wonderment at the future of technical ability.

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