Men of the World

This was a well-directed, well-paced production of this classic John Godber play with much to commend it.

There wasn’t any scenery, just a variety of different props but this didn’t matter because well- crafted use of luggage made it obvious whether passengers were getting on or off the coaches or whether the coaches had stopped for a comfort break. There were times when the passengers were in the hotel or visiting local attractions but we knew exactly where the action was taking place. Such a simple but effective use of props.

The three actors in this play displayed such a range of well-honed skills that must be applauded. David Stonehouse (Stick), Adrian Venables (Larry) and Rosemary Bodger (Frank) worked really well together maintaining their individual characters throughout as the three drivers of the coaches planning a mystery tour to Scarborough. Stick hates his passengers; Larry is a big Mario Lanza fan and Frank provides the steadying balance of the trio. The story centres around a previous trip to the Rhine Valley when they reminisce about some of the passengers who travelled with them.

The transformation of the trio into the passengers was really effective. The addition of a hat, a scarf or the use of a handbag produced entirely different characters with different accents, body language and demeanour. This was seamless every time that it happened and was even more impressive because the passengers ranged from a trio of old men, a trio of old ladies, married couples to a 40-year-old travelling with his parents. The ‘running gag’ of ‘I wouldn’t have done it like that’ was much appreciated by the audience to the extent that they started to join in with it as the action progressed.

When there is no scenery then the lighting plot becomes even more vital and the range from a bright, sunny day to the interior entertainment lounge was very well accomplished. I must, not only, congratulate the actors but also the production team for bringing this production to life and making such a range of emotions so believable. Well done and thank you!   

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.