Move Over Mrs Markham

Farce is certainly the most difficult, often exhausting drama to choose for any company and the director.   Timing is vital, as is energy, pace and action.   Ray Cooney and John Chapman, comedy masters par excellence provided a script of pure gold, with improbable happenings, mistaken identities and risqué lines aplenty.   Featuring five lead players and four solid support roles, this bedroom farce rattled along at a frantic pace, in never less than hilarious fashion. 

Briefly, the plot entailed Joanna Markham, wife of children's book publisher, Philip Markham, being reluctantly persuaded to loan her top floor London flat to her friend Linda Lodge for the evening.   Linda was intent upon a tête-à-tête with Walter Pangbourne.   However, Linda's husband Henry - business partner to Philip -was also intent upon using the flat for his liaison with a Miss Wilkinson.   Lastly, the flamboyant, but heterosexual in-house interior designer, Alistair Spenlow, had designs upon the maid Sylvie.  All this, unbeknown to each other, was planned during the same evening.

Featuring a splendid seventies style set encompassing a main room leading to a bedroom where "the business end" of the evening's shenanigans  were planned to take place, with a bathroom heard from, but not seen in the wings.   In pride of place in the bedroom was an oval  shaped bed.  An impressive long necked bendy silver coloured lamp was prominently displayed.  Credit is due to the painstaking set designer Andrew Hamel-Cooke!

Nathan Farrell played the neurotic, apparently gay designer Alistair to the hilt and much comedy was wrung from the erroneous assumption that he was gay, which, despite appearances, he was not.   Lean and leggy, with effective camp mannerisms, Nathan was superbly cast in this demanding and major role.  Nikky Kirkup in the title role was elegance personified, showing such believable angst whilst being persuaded, against her better judgement, to lend the flat to Linda for the evening.   A well nuanced and highly enjoyable Mrs Markham indeed.  Philip Markham's wooden, conservative manner, even somewhat dull in personality, though not in business acumen, was skilfully portrayed by Matt Weaver.   Meeting him afterwards, I was struck by the strong natural presence he had, which was so cleverly underplayed on stage.  A brash and forceful Henry Lodge made a stark contrast to cautious Philip.   Simon Openshaw pitched this overconfident womanising character to great effect, with some of the best lines.   A highly charismatic character and actor too!  Finally, among the larger roles Vykki Mash was a marvellous Linda Lodge, oozing believability.   Wonderful German accent too!

Four solid supporting roles were played by surefooted players as follows:-

● Emily Tietz as the flirtatious maid Sylvie, object of Alistair's passion, with some special comic touches.

● Iain Mcfarlane made a fine drink sodden Walter Pangbourne entering the play well into the plot, but making a good impression.

● Judy Abbott (or was it Margaret Rutherford!) gave the tweedy dog potty author Olive Harriet Smythe a giant and distinctly individual personality.   Olive had some delicious lines which she uttered as if offering a jewel.   Example: "I dreamed they published a disgusting new book - filthy, I read it twice."   A delightfully dotty and key  character , hugely enjoyable to watch.

● Lastly, and by no means least, Samantha Potten as elegant Miss Wilkinson emerged into the plot as Henry's younger woman lover to be.

Lies, subterfuge , mistaken identities and all this with excellent timing, so vital in farce particularly.   I heard only one prompt all evening in this frantically fast and wordy farce.    Much comedy ensued from the inability to open the adjoining bedroom door (which had been locked).   The business of the bra posted through the bedroom letter box was an absolute hoot!   I also loved the dog business.  Director Jeff Wightwick and his talented cast gave us a special evening with wonderful timing, frantic pace and humour mounting all through. The plot built in tension beautifully throughout to it's ultimate chaotic and angst ridden conclusion.  Costumes by Jenny Hasted and Jennie Hamel- Cooke were suitable for the seventies setting.  Dee and Tony Bowdery had an easy evening on lighting, as they remarked to me in the bar afterwards.   Sound was by Tim Williams and an in house team built the excellent set with several doors which are always so key in good farce.

All in all this farce was enacted supremely well.   All nine players and the fine director will surely be pleased with the hilarious evening with which they treated us.  There was nothing not to like; the play was that good!

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