Dick Barton - Special Agent

Off Centre Theatre are well known for choosing a variety of challenging and popular plays for their strong following, none more so than this one from the 1950’s Dick Barton Special Agent.

Knowing nothing of Dick Barton, like some in the audience, or when when it was broadcast, it was interesting to watch this fascinating play.

Set in a radio recording studio in the process of recording the episodes of Dick Barton S.A. for weekly transmission with cliff hangers to entice its listeners. We sit with the actors as they they go through their hilarious broadcasting, and never a dull moment!!

The pace was continually kept up from this strong cast of natural and experienced performers.

Ian McIntyre as Dick Barton / Snowy White always the professional on stage gave us the perfect tongue in cheek interpretation of Dick and Snowy, and excellent Steve Banner as Baron Scarheart with his immaculate German accent frightened the wits out of everyone, what a feat from him, all those long speeches, amazing !

Kate Russell in total disguise, and didn’t she have sex appeal both something that enhanced this role, as the outrageous Marta Heartburn, a fabulous performance. Kate has a great ability to reinvent herself for her performance in every play that she appears in!

Gay Rogers as Lady Laxinglay the dotty, inebriated aristocrat was a lovely character, well played and surprised us all when she also appeared as a giant teddy bear, a favourite toy of the parental neglected Baron!!

Mastering the Scottish accent brilliantly and the kilt was Matthew Bryant as Jock Anderson, and with Rhian Hathaway as Daphne Fritters every scene they appeared in came alive, we even had great singing, tap dancing and romance from this talented pair!

Authentic parts of Colonel Gardner from Tony Summers and Sir Stanley Fritters ,Gordon Casson enhanced the action, great characters from both. Then we had Rodger, Susannah Adams an enthusiastic and experienced performance with swift entrances and exits to add to the pace action.

True to era costumes from Jenny Weston and team.

Director Judith Rositter is to be congratulated along with all the cast and crew on a very successful drama production, which went down very well with the Savoy audiences.

Many thanks for your kind hospitality and welcome to NODA Wales & Ireland so pleased you are part of the NODA Association

 

THIS REVIEW IS THE SOLE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR DEE McILROY

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.