Entertaining Angels

This was a fascinating production of an interesting and imaginative script.  The story line of events around the reaction of a vicar’s wife to the death of her husband was very well developed and portrayed with great empathy and understanding.  The questions that the rest of the cast raised about the marriage were both intriguing and poignant, and well portrayed with the close relationships developed onstage. 

The set design was very imaginative and very well planned, while the staging made very good use of the limited space available.  The action took place with the garden of the vicarage filling the stage, complete with grassy bank, lawn, patio and stream area, trellises, roses, garden furniture, greenhouse, a large tree and a realistic back door.  The entrances were well used, and the timing of exits was excellent, with very good continuity. 

The stage lighting was just right for the set, with a good spread of light and sensitive timing of changes to the quality of lighting according to the time of day portrayed. The sound worked well, too, with suitable incidental music and sound effects, well timed and totally relevant.  Even the lawn mowing onstage was realistic! 

Costumes were very well done, with enough slight changes to hold one’s interest but not be distracting from the storyline. The period of the play was very neatly brought out by the costume touches.  Overall, the costumes helped to create the characters in a subtle way that enhanced the whole production. 

However, it was these very characters that made this production so successful. This was an excellent team of actors working together to stage a very interesting and engaging script. There was very good innuendo in the excellent delivery of lines, and the development of the characters throughout the play was excellent, see below.

Characters

Grace:  perfectly depicted as a sharp-tongued, recently widowed vicar’s wife, whose sarcastic comments show resentment at her previously “expected by the parish” helpmeet lifestyle.  Excellently delivered lines brought out, too, her vulnerability and hurt at Bardolph and Ruth’s betrayal and her deep feeling of guilt regarding her own part in Bardolph’s death.  An outstanding performance.

Ruth:  was well depicted as an enigmatic character ostensibly returning to England to help her newly widowed sister, but in fact coming to confess, and expect forgiveness for, a thirty year old guilty secret.  This thought-provoking portrayal raises the question of Ruth’s motives and whether she is honest or self-deluding.  Excellently acted.

Sarah: is a troubled character, plagued with self-doubt about her suitability to be a vicar and guilt at past mistakes. She sympathised with Grace’s reluctance to leave the rectory while at the same time was eager to move in herself.  A good performance clearly showing Sarah’s inner conflicts.  Well acted.

Jo:  was well portrayed as a professional woman with pragmatic views on love, adultery and guilt, and able  to take a detached view of different situations.  She offered non-moralising support and confidentiality to Sarah and showed kindly impatience towards her mother.  A well-acted and credible characterisation.

Bardolph: an interesting character, Bardolph existed as an extension of Grace’s mind and was mainly comprised of her memories and hopes.  In life he concentrated on irrelevant theological issues and secrecy to cover his guilt and fear of discovery.  Beautifully depicted as an amiable, gentle and forgiving personality.  Excellently acted.

Altogether, this was an excellent production of a thought provoking play that relied on the teamwork of the cast for its effectiveness.  They did a wonderful job!  It was a highly entertaining evening of theatre with very accomplished actors working very well together in the context of a small village hall that nonetheless provided an excellent set and the evidence of very good planning.  

Congratulations on a very good and highly memorable play production!

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.