How The Other Half Loves

Never have I laughed aloud so much – this production has to be one of the funniest ever and so well played out.

Well-heeled Frank and Fiona Foster have a polite and emotionally distant relationship, while Fiona is having a secret affair with Frank's employee Bob Philips, whose marriage to disorganised Teresa is somewhat stormy -  she feels neglected by him, is bored looking after their child and her frustrating letter writing to the Editor of the Guardian when her suspicions are alerted by ghost phone calls! Suspicions and lies are not stacking up and a third couple William Featherstone, bumbling and controlling accounts manager and his initially timid wife ultimately rebellious Mary are brought in to add to the total confusion that ensues. This is brilliant writing from Ayckbourn that is fast, physical and hilarious and although written at the end of the ‘60’s the content is timeless. The highlight must be the brilliantly choreographed chaotic dinner parties running simultaneously over two nights with overlapping action, dialogue and freezes. The conclusion is the whole truth revealed leading to physical confrontations, no real resolutions but better understanding.

Certainly, the ingenious set devised worked extremely well using the length of the hall space to split the two quite different sitting rooms of the boss and employee. A wonderful untidy mess of Bob and Terry’s home and the posher boss’s abode with everything in it’s place. Huge amount of dressing detail in both sections split by a middle-curtained exit and central table which transformed into the dining area for both houses. Brilliant ideas designed and built by Simon Neeson.The attention to detail with household props from Linda Cruttenden was extensive with good curtaining, furniture and flooring, perfect tasteless wallpaper even down to the meals and drinks eaten, drunk  or thrown at the dinners. So, we the audience were seated remarkably close to the action all along two rows on the opposite side. The techie support came from Amber Ablitt and Simon, Chris Packham and Louise Holland, with Martyn White on IT support. Friendly F of H in the intimate space gave a night clubbish feel. Your programme devised by Jo gave us all the relevant information for the play and the future – but I would have loved to have seen a NODA logo on it!

Claire Wilson and Jo Doyle must be congratulated in their joint debut directorship with imagination and possibilities in their versatile venue. A terrific cast with some new faces excelled, living their characters, with much script that was fast and furious, exceedingly funny and quite physical at times. Well maintained voices, wonderful facials and even John Cleese moves. Responsible for costumes/set décor were Sophia Lefevre and Kerry White with makeup and hair perfect for the era too. Keith Robertson became a most convincing, smart, somewhat forgetful, innocent businessman boss Frank teaming well with Victoria Ferguson again making a debut with the BLODS his lady of leisure, wandering, always busy

wife  Fiona, Lex Davids another first timer played philanderer Bob fed up with his domestic chaos, rather too fond of the pub character who ends up with a sore head. A further debut from Fiona Giles gave us a convincing ‘can’t cope’ wife Terry Phillips who eventually sussed the affair – a dab hand with a pan! Henri Hayler swopped his Chair role and his daytime role as financial accounts manager to bumbling accounts manager teaming with another new member Jules Lovell playing his timid wife Mary who eventually develops her own voice from being under her husband’s control – this couple being used to cover confusions. I just loved William’s appearance with his middle parting and smarmed down hairdo and moustache, wonderful accent, and jumpers, overalls wielding a wrench an d his temper rush. Mary’s makeup and hair do perfect, loved the eras fashionable ‘Pink Magic’ lippy and the winged specs and the way she held her skirts and handbag, angled feet in shyness and her facial expressions, just wonderful. A huge team effort full of laughs beautifully executed.

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