I'll get my man

Firstly to say what an excellent set from Elizabeth Ridley Thomas: design right and such good painting plus all the right furniture, dressings, and props for the play, just what one would wish for and perfect for this play.

Sandra Barker managed to assemble the right group of thespians (with correct mixed ages) for the play and used them to display best ability and balance of characters.  Clive Gordon was ideal as the vague, down-trodden by sister, Vicar Arthur Humphrey, was he really so bad at remembering or was he exaggerating to put on the act, good relationships all round, very clever and so important to the plot.  Sister, Harriet from Jessica Adby had that domination and acid of frustration as she tried so hard to organise him and the vicarage and life in general and found that she never quite succeeded, the correct hardness throughout.  What a lovely role for Hilary Franzen as Mollie Carter, the cook/housekeeper, she was able to be part of all the situations whether conspiracy with vicar, talking to sister, and above all playing up to the TV star, every mood shone for her with relaxed personality.  The interfering neighbour always wanting to be in on everything, Rosalind Middleton as Winifred Barrington Locke was always popping in to appraise the situation whether wanted or not, a good solid character role.   And the young man (nephew) who is the TV star Peter (Venture Man) Graham played by Robert Coyle: what a great role to play with from disguise to avoid the female fans including current girlfriend, to working with family (and helping uncle in his dilemma of ill-judged post arrival) and especially encouraging Mollie with the food and massage and general mayhem. And so the plot is set up for the revelations in act two!

To the three ‘characters in cameo’ absolutely vital to the unravelling of the plot, and how perfect the casting.  What an amazing appearance and total OTT acting to match the looks, strong diction and personality from Merry Crosskill as the determined suitor for the vicar but who turned out to be the ‘lady from the past’, this was a role to relish.  A really nice young Pixie from Alexandra Swift who was besotted by her Peter and proved not to be the shallow fan but true indeed and won through (understand a first for named role and she did well).   As to the pompous and never-giving senior man of the church, Ken Holbeck relished his role as Bishop of Lax, so upright and so perfect he thought, and a great change into a different man as his past came out to catch him, certainly the acting worked for him.

A farce to enjoy and well developed by all to give an entertaining evening.

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