Haywire by Eric Chappell

A rather appropriate choice to put forward for adjudication for the Kent Drama Association Full Length Play Festival with Hay Festival, frequently referred to actually taking place now. Haywire is a classic ‘ménage à trois’, very funny and well proven. Alec runs a book shop and lives above it. He arranges for wife Maggie to take a trip - 3 capitals in 5 days, not forgetting the bulb fields! He is due to travel to Spain with Liz his bookshop assistant and mistress. However, not all goes according to plan when one disaster befalls another. 

The bright, A5 programme was created by John Sewell, using a clever motif of characters treading wire. Well designed, using piles of books with multi coloured covers for acknowledgements – something quite different, together with a shelf containing books relevant to the plot with a set showing the scene structure.  Another novel feature was a coloured framed photo of each member of the cast, NODA page, certainly  good entry for the Poster and Programme annual competition. Multi-tasking again and responsible for solid lighting, sound, and effects, e.g. sunbed glow through an open door, a change of daylight to the electric central light fitting and wall lights to name a couple.   

A good strong cast with Jo McBride took the role of Maggie, wife of Alec Firth, never giving any clues as to her real intentions until the end of Act 2– her first role with TODS and I am sure many more to come. David Richardson was Alec whose part was mammoth, hardly off stage, very wordy, full of manic action, excellent facial expressions and some great repetitive one lines. Although taking a few prompts he characterised particularly well and was more than convincing as a husband trying so hard to cover his tracks attempting to get to Spain regardless with mistress Liz, but with a twist was reunited happily when Maggie admits she too was about to have a fling, with Peter Pearson of all people whilst away!

Angela Patrick performed Phoebe with great attention to ‘elderly’ but was still very canny despite appearing grumpy and deliberately awkward. Very good impression of a stroke – in fact we worried for her!  And what a laugh! With costume perfect and the knee length pop socks the icing on the cake. Jamie, baseball cap on sideways, jeans hanging off,  a bit of a waster played by Simon Tomlinson was adept upon a pair of crutches, a part a little different from being a gangster in Sister Act!  Susanne Buckley managed her bump very well as pregnant Mandy Firth, having her false alarm, some heated discussion on the merits of marriage with her poor confused father – a solid performance. After a series of family crises Instead of going to Marbella, Alec brings Spain to the sitting room. Picture – Alec clad in swimming trunks, towel around neck, goggles on head sipping sangria and playing ‘Strangers on the Shore’.  Great timing from the family coming and going, causing hilarity and typical farce chaos, all well executed.

Vernon Reeve motivated his dedicated cast producing a most amusing classic comedy. The set was as stepping into a living room, including an opening window looking onto a property opposite – there was so much detail to it. Doors solid on both sides of stage. Stag's head on the wall, a huge collection of books were displayed on shelves and two bookcases.  A desk fully dressed, with captain’s chair – photographs, a music centre – flowers.  A settee, easy chair,  low coffee table, standard lamp, various paintings and added later Spanish bull fighting scenes and a jug of sangria. Liz beautifully portrayed by Rebecca Sharp, quite different in looks and dress than Maggie, finally walks out having had enough, the last straw - bitten by fleas from new puppy, Airdale, Dandy!  Maggie returns early and with a refund from her cancelled trip, they can both go to Spain – no fantasy!

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