I Gotta Feeling

An entertaining evening that showcased four amusing one-act plays, all exploring different aspects of love, relationships and human connection.

The evening opened with Speed Dating, written by Barry Hogan and directed by Lois Whitfield. This light-hearted comedy centred on Tom and Harry, played with confidence and excellent comic timing by Kevin Walker and Michael Tetchner. As Harry encountered a succession of weird and wonderful women during the speed-dating event, the laughs came thick and fast.

The female cast all took on multiple roles, creating a wide range of contrasting and highly entertaining characters. Their versatility was impressive and added greatly to the comedy. Lois Whitfield's direction was clear and well-paced throughout, and I particularly enjoyed the use of music to introduce each new character, which was both imaginative and effective.

The second piece, Can You See What I'm Saying?, was written by Simon Smith and directed by Christine Jary. The play followed a couple on a first date, but with an original twist: the audience could hear only the characters' inner thoughts rather than their spoken conversation. It was a clever concept that was delivered with confidence.

Barry Hogan gave a strong performance as Brad, using expressive facial reactions to great comic effect, while Pamela Elliott shone as Janet with a natural and engaging performance. The background actors added another layer of humour through their silent reactions, while Nigel Judson was excellent as the world-weary, know-it-all waiter. Christine Jary's direction ensured the concept remained clear throughout, allowing the comedy to land perfectly.

Following the interval came Stuck, written and directed by Barry Hogan. This charming piece centred on two strangers who become trapped in a lift and, as they talk, discover an unexpected connection and begin wishing they had even more time together. Gemma Fleckenstein displayed excellent comic timing as Jennie, while Barry Hogan once again demonstrated his expressive reactions and facial expressions as Sam. It was an enjoyable, well-paced piece that balanced humour with warmth.

The final play, 50p Prophet, brought a change of mood. After laughing throughout the evening, this thoughtful and moving production provided a fitting conclusion. Written by Simon Smith and directed by Lois Whitfield, it told the story of Len, a man who charges just 50p for people to sit and talk while he offers an honest perspective on their problems.

Peter Wilson gave a calm, understated performance as Len, while Cath Mills was thoroughly convincing as Marion, the café owner. Special mention must go to Alys Rennie, whose performances throughout the evening demonstrated great versatility. In this final piece, her portrayal of loneliness was genuinely touching and brought real emotion to the production.

Overall, I Gotta Feeling delivered exactly what it promised: an evening full of humour, warmth and heart, with four contrasting plays that were well written, well directed and enthusiastically performed. Congratulations to everyone involved, both on stage and behind the scenes, for producing an enjoyable and memorable evening of theatre.

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