It Must Be Love

One of Raymond Hopkins’ plays with its usual hilarious observations from everyday life;  this time around the arrangements for an imminent wedding day when the groom Jason  is experiencing last minute nerves whilst the bride’s mother Stella is going to endless expense to ensure its success.

Jason Taylor; a quiet unassuming person, is one week away from marrying Lucinda, his childhood sweetheart. The overzealous bride’s mother, Stella Parsons, has turned the wedding into a personal crusade. No expense has been spared and a year’s preparations have all come together to make it the event of the decade. Lucinda, who has always been dominated by her mother, has gone along with the lavish arrangements.

As the wedding looms ever closer, everything is on track.  That is, until Julie, a girl from the local florist calls at the Taylors’ to make some final arrangements. By a twist of fate, Jason is at home alone.  Their inevitable first meeting sparks off that magical chemistry which makes two people fall hopelessly in love. From that point on, the plot twists and turns in a frantic manner, making the wedding a far more memorable occasion than even Stella could have imagined.

Hugh Raymer and Liz Whitehouse worked well together as Jason’s Father and Mother, (John and Anne Taylor) capturing the atmosphere instantly in the first scene over the exclusion of their niece as a bridesmaid and the dubious appointment of John’s work friend, who runs a video recording business. Stella Parsons the bride’s Mother plays the jumped up snob seeking love and affection outside her marriage and Tracy Venables is totally convincing in the role. I particularly liked the dialogue between John and Stella when Stella believed John wanted to play with her rather than his dog!

The rest of the cast each depicted their individual characters well; Jason (Alex Fitzgerald) a down to earth romantic, Lucinda his betrothed (Alisha James), dominated, spoilt but eventually comes into her own, Fred Stubble (Simon Billington) friend of John’s and very much the ladies’ man, Julie Hemmings (Sarah Dunkley) the kind and considerate florist, and Chris Tucker (Steve Willis) ‘Jack the Lad’ best friend of Jason, who also convincingly reappears later as the Rev. Alan Ross to save the day! Meanwhile, John’s work friends Sid Blunsden and Alf Pratt (Mike Turner and David Vas) give us some amusing scenes as the unconvincing video recording duo, but carry it off in the absence of another firm being available.

There were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and the pace was generally very good, with a set that was effective together with spot on door bell and telephone sound effects.

The venue at Hartlebury was new to the group and I was so pleased to see that it worked well and to hear that the Parish Hall had made them all so welcome. Long may it last and I look forward to many more productions here.

 

 

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