FAHETGDS - A Christmas Carol

Mince pies, sausage rolls, fairy lights and Christmas Carols as spring finally arrives – it must be another ‘classic’ production from those ladies (not forgetting Gordon and the vicar) from the Farndale Townswomen’s Guild. What could possibly go wrong? The show, of course, is about everything going wrong. So to say that things went wrong is simply to say, that’s what it’s all about – British Farce, one of the most difficult theatrical forms to pull off without verging into the ridiculous. You can always be sure there will be plenty of comedy in any of the Farndale farces and this one was well up to standard.

The set was very stark with only black curtains and relied on various props, sound and lighting, which, although simple, had to be spot on (forgive the pun!) because it had to look erratic. Incidental songs/carols were played by Gwynneth Witherspoon (Jo Love) on keyboard and Terry Wilson (himself) on percussion.

We are welcomed to the proceedings by Phoebe Reece played by Jacky Richardson. (I did like the way her handbag never left her arm, even as one of the ghosts) who was on the point of recruiting her cast from members of the audience when her actresses arrived, having battled their way through traffic on the M25, albeit with Mercedes Benn (Judy Burrows) in a neck brace after an accident involving shopping trolleys. Judy didn’t once overplay this part but we couldn’t help feeling sorry for her. Jasper Holliday as Gordon Pugh had a great sense of the ridiculous, not least when portraying a hirsute Mrs Cratchit, delivering his lines as though he had stage fright! Carol Arman-Addy adds a contrasting touch of panic as Felicity Fincham, not least when playing the top half of a curtain-clad ghost of Christmas yet to come. Yvonne Hegarty is always a joy to watch in whatever part she plays and in this instance she captured Thelma Greenwood’s moods playing Scrooge, just right. Joyce Greenfall (Margaret Bown) had her part to play as general dogsbody, as did Rev. Reg Bishop ( Nick Noakes). Director Gillian Noakes had assembled talented actors who managed to keep the momentum going, not an easy thing to do.

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