Diary of a Nobody

The play “Diary of a Nobody” is based on a comedic novel by George and Weedon Grossmith that chronicles the life and misadventures of Charles Pooter, a lower-middle class clerk with social aspirations that often lead to comic misfortunes. 

The small cast of five performers juggled a multitude of roles. David Mander, as Charles Pooter, played the part exceedingly well, navigating moments of technical difficulties regarding the voiceover of Mr Perkupp (Tim Allebone) with ease, whilst maintaining the brisk pace required. Neil Richardson portrayed many different characters including Carleton Darwitts and Charles’ wife, Carrie Pooter, to name a few, he was able to flit between his characters with ease. Hannah Johnson as Sarah the maid, Lupin (William) Pooter and many others, brought humour to her characters, entertaining the audience with a charming and cheeky rendition of the song about Lupin’s love of his life, Daisy Mutlar. Along with portraying the role of Samuel Hillbutter, Jonathan Lichfield’s standout characters were Frank Mutlar, Sarah the maid and Carrie’s dear friend. We particularly enjoyed the entertainment from Frank playing several tunes with a knife on his cheek. Dinah Stevenson as Gertrude Putley provided a live piano accompaniment throughout the evening and added a level of comedy in her moments in the spotlight. 

Under the direction of Rich Llewellyn, it was obvious that the cast had been given guidance as to the use of the stage area and props. In our opinion, while the rapid character changes were commendable, some transitions lacked clarity—subtle shifts in accent and costume occasionally blurred identities. The additional characters were also not listed in the programme for reference purposes. Overall, the cast were able to keep a continuous fast pace to the play, considering the amount of characters they were all playing. 

The sound and lighting provided by Dave Jones complemented the period tone, with visual graphics cleverly enhancing Charles Pooter’s narration. However, the piano occasionally overpowered the dialogue, and the voiceover timing for Mr Perkupp faltered. However, David Mander was able to manage this well preventing it from detracting and upsetting the pace. 

The production embraced minimalism with period-appropriate props. The use of a pedestal for diary readings was a smart choice, keeping the audience visually engaged. That said, references to red enamel paint felt mismatched with the actual props. The wheeled mannequins of Daisy Mutlar, Murray Posh and Daisy’s mother, whilst inventive, proved noisy, occasionally drowning out dialogue. 

Overall, the play was well received by the audience. Thank you Wellingborough Technical Players for your warm welcome on behalf of District 8. It was an enjoyable evening and I look forward to seeing future productions.  

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