Habeas Corpus

                              

I was warmly welcomed on arrival by Linda Potter, Chrissie Donegan and Andrew Dace and met with Director Simon Reader and a number of the cast after the performance.

For once I have little to say about the set in this intimate theatre as it was minimal ie 3 chairs, a screen and no doors. Instead curtains allowed the comings and goings to proceed at pace. Apparently the author, Alan Bennett had expressed a preference for no formal sets or doors as nothing should impede the rapid flow of the script and action!

The pace was certainly frantic most of the time with so many intrigues and misunderstandings. The excellent cast coped well with all the action with some impressive acting. Costumes were totally appropriate to the 1960s and were supplied by the society. Sound was good and all the actors projected well and there was good use of lighting.

The casting of the play was superb with the well rehearsed actors playing to their strengths and clearly enjoying their roles. Arthur Wicksteed, brilliantly played by Richard Kemp-Luck was a rather dull and cautious doctor with a definite eye for the ladies. I must congratulate Richard on his dancing talents! His wife, Muriel, played by Gemma Holman-Quinn was an assertive and arrogant character and Gemma clearly made this role her own, dominating the stage at times. Margaret Coleman was the cleaner, Mrs Swabb, the story teller, who obviously knew everything about everyone and Margaret carried this “linking” role well. Katherine Johnson was Constance Wicksteed, the flat chested daughter, using her trademark great facial expressions to good effect. Chris Holman played Sir Percy Shorter, the President of the British Medical Association, a forceful and formidable character, at least until he lost his trousers! And another man with his eyes on the ladies!

Jake Clover was Dennis Wicksteed, the very wimpish and nondescript son who was a real hypochondriac convinced he only had three months or so to live. Jake developed this part well. Sara Talbot-Ashby, as Lady Rumpers was well cast as a somewhat posh character recently arrived from abroad accompanied by her daughter Felicity played by Deonne  Newson.  Deonne was brilliant in this role being very flirtatious and desperate to find a man, any man who would marry her as she was pregnant. I enjoyed seeing  Greg McDowell in the role of Canon Throbbing lusting after a woman, any woman, with Greg bringing plenty of expression to this role.

Rob Porter was a somewhat hapless Mr Shanks, a representative from the false breast company trying to fit false breasts on Constance but major misunderstandings occurred in so doing resulting in Rob also losing his trousers.

The role of Mr Purdue was taken by Jordan Brown who was unsuccessfully trying to commit suicide in his melancholy way.

There were so many twists and turns in this hilarious play and timings were so important. The impressive cast delivered a stellar performance which was greatly appreciated by the capacity audience. I loved it and congratulate everyone involved in any way but huge congratulations to Director Simon Reader for his innovative direction of this masterpiece.

 

 

 

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