Dead Ringer

After almost a decade of visiting LBDG’s productions it has slowly dawned on me the reason they are so successful must lie with their play reading committee, because time and again they keep coming up with these wonderful quirky, but little-known comedies that absolutely suit their available actors perfectly. And here we are again with yet another in ‘Dead Ringer.’ Directed by Jo Taylor it is about a doppelganger hired to impersonate the Prime Minister who has inconveniently dropped dead on the eve of a general election and without him their party will almost undoubtedly lose the election. Add to that the perfect timing of the real live general election campaign going on at the same time, which they couldn’t possibly have foreseen when they chose the play, and you really are on a winning streak!

When the curtain opened there was an appreciative audible gasp and spontaneous round of applause as we were presented with an amazingly detailed set picturing the Prime Minister’s office inside No 10 Downing Street! And by goodness, had Set Designer/Stage Manager Mike Ward and the build crew of Mike, Colin Delamore and Phil Pope gone to town on this one! It included an imposing Prime Ministers desk, two beautifully upholstered chairs, one of which was restored from a wreck for this production, a very imposing fireplace and even a radiator which was in fact made of wood, although you’d never know it and several masterpieces hanging on the walls, depicting The Kiss by Gustav Klint, William Shakespeare, Laurent Pecheux’s assassination of Julius Caesar and a portrait of Prime Minister Clement Attlee. The whole set really did do justice to the office of a British Prime Minister. Fabulous job.  I too joined in the clapping.

This first-class set was brought to life by Dave Miles very well-balanced lighting design, whilst Sound by Tom Davies was crystal clear. And the finishing touches supplied by the costume department of Sheena Ward and Admiral Costumes ensured all were suited and booted as you would expect of the staff of No 10.

Russell Bennett, is one of LBDG’s most experienced actors and an imposing figure and wore the part of both the real and fake PM Randolf Bolton like a second skin, switching between accents of jobbing actor, Gerry Jackson and a well-spoken Prime Minister effortlessly, often to great comic effect.  

Lorna Daggett as Frances Cowdray had the poise and manner to be exactly as I would expect a No 10 insider would act like, a hard-nosed, totally au fait with the world of politics and sharp acid tongue who would stand for no nonsense.  She delivered some the funniest lines but with a dead pan delivery, which just added to the comedy. Super performance.

Mark Croft is a gifted actor who doesn’t need to say a word to be funny, his use of facial expressions says it all, and here as MP Dick Marr he was perfectly cast. As the twisted plot unravelled and the character attempts to defend himself, the deeper the hole the funnier he became and more animated his expressions developed. And as for the way he fell through the door to his death at the end - Hilarious!

Randell Moll as Ray Turnbull was the straight man, or at least the least devious of the characters, a fairly bumbling nature crossed with a steely determination, to get to the truth and played it very old school, exactly as you might imagine some of the elder statesmen we see inhabiting the benches of parliament would behave.

Not that you would have known it but Charles Merritt as civil servant Nigel Haywood, was playing in his first play with LBDG, after his much-acclaimed performance as “The Mad Hatter” in their pantomime early this year. This time as the PM’s private secretary, very much the put upon junior desperately trying to cover his bosses back and keep a cool head as things spiral out of control around him.

Debbie Kaye as the PM’s wife Eva Bolton added both the glamour and a great deal of sophistication to proceedings, as it turns out she is nowhere near as naïve as she first appears, seeing right through all the goings on using her good looks to great political advantage.

David Groves a backstage stalwart for many years was also playing in his first role as security man Colonel Hardacre and again you would never know it. Where has he been hiding all these years, he should venture out on to the apron more often!

Director Jo Taylor and her cast and crew should be rightly proud of this one, very well cast, a set that was as good as it gets, attention to detail second to none and an all-round thoroughly enjoyable evening’s entertainment.  

Finally, many thanks to Barbara Springthorpe, the queen of hospitality who looked after us royally as usual. A particular thanks for organising an extra ticket for the trainee NODA representative I brought along.

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