Family Circles

It is Edward and Emma's wedding anniversary and their three daughters with their partners have come together to celebrate.  The three couples all have their problems and are totally unsuitable for each other.  Throughout the play a sub-plot then unfolds as the girls try to discover if their parents are trying to kill each other.

This is a very challenging play, and congratulations to Elaine and Mark for an excellently directed well designed production, with a first-class cast.

"Only one absolutely certain thing you can say about marriage.  Whoever you decided on to share your life with invariably turns out to be the worst possible choice you could have made, we all marry the wrong people" announces Edward Gray.  These words are for the benefit of his three daughters and their partners and this theme develops throughout the play.

Polly (Leah Culf), whose life revolves around business meetings doesn't stand fools  easily, especially her hypochondriac husband David (Richard Wilshaw). Deidre (Yvette Sayles) lives life to the full with the family never knowing which man she will bring with her.  On this occasion it's James, a very worried looking young man played by Stephen Coward.  Jenny (Polly Lovegrove) is described by her father as being a thick as a Portuguese gangplank.  Jenny's husband Oliver, a larger that life character who has been known to lose his temper on a number of occasions played by Alex Wilson.

Just as the plot is progressing, as with a number of Alan Ayckbourn's  plays there is a sudden change of events and the young couples change partners.  They retain their original characters but now reflect the new relationships and different circumstances of their lives.  In the last scene, the young couples exchange partners and their outfits numerous times and at such a speed that it had to be seen to be believed.  The pace of the dialogue and action was first class and the "physical" comedy scenes superbly timed.  Excellent performances from all six actors.

Throughout all this mayhem, Emma (Sarah Cleverley) tries to keep a cool head wanting the best for their girls, but never sure what is happening in the girls' lives and anything else that is going on around her.  Edward (Kevin Jackson) would just like a quite life looking after his dahlias and reading his paper ( I wonder if he ever got his breakfast?) We never do find out if either of them succeeds in killing the other.  Again excellent performances from these actors.

Every member of the cast were very confident with their characterisations and  their dialogue.  Their entrances and exits were very well executed all of which made this and outstanding production .

Praise also should go to Tony Carver on a  very well designed set, and to the stage crew, props, lighting , sound and costumes in making this a great production.

Thank you for the invite and an evening enjoyed very much by myself and the audience alike.

 

 

 

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