Diary of a Nobody

The play “Diary of a Nobody” is based on a comedic novel by George and Weedon Grossmith, which chronicles the life and misadventures of Charles Pooter, a lower-middle-class clerk with social aspirations that often lead to comic misfortunes. Charles Pooter, played by David Mander, a London city clerk with social ambitions, records his mundane experiences and frustrations in his diary. The play dramatises the events from the source material, which include his interactions with his wife, their son, and a host of eccentric characters. The humour is often wrung from the embarrassing social blunders that arise from his attempts to achieve a more sophisticated lifestyle. The play's humour stems from the contrast between Pooter's self-importance and his unglamorous reality.

The small cast of five performers juggled a multitude of roles. David Mander, as Charles Pooter, a man who believes his diary could bring him fame and wealth. 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 another 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. Rich had managed the comedy well, which comes from the gap between Mr. Pooter's aspirations and the reality of his everyday life, his social awkwardness, and his grand pronouncements about trivial matters. We noticed, while the rapid character changes were commendable, some transitions lacked clarity—subtle shifts in accent and costume occasionally blurred identities.

• David Mander - Mr Pooter
• Neil Richardson - Mr Darwitts, Also playing - Carrie / Cummings / Farmerson / Carrie’s Mother / Voice for Lilly Girl
• Hannah Johnson - Miss Birks-Spooner, Also playing - Gowing / Lupin / Sarah / Helpful Gentleman 2 / Workman 2 / Waiter / Trillip / Voice for Daisy Mutlar
• Jonny Litchfield - Mr Hillbutter, Also playing - Horwin / Pitt / Mrs James / Old Friend / Helpful Gentleman 2 / Workman 1 / Sarah (swap with Birks-Spooner) / Frank Mutlar / Bus Driver / Voice of Murray Posh
• Dinah Stevenson - Miss Putley, Playing piano.

Although not mentioned in the programme, Rich kindly sent me the list of all the characters in the play. Overall, the cast were able to keep up a continuous good pace throughout the play, considering the number of characters they were all playing. Your audience certainly embraced the 'Music Hall' style humour and seemed to be enjoying laughing along with the comedy situations.

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 from 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. 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.  It was an enjoyable evening and I look forward to seeing future productions.  

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.