No Dinner For Sinners

The thing I like about Leighton Buzzard is that a good comedic play is always safe in their hands, and something they always do extremely well. And every play they put on so far is always a first showing for me, something much appreciated as a NODA rep, when we see the more popular shows several times in one season. No Dinner For Sinners was no exception and turned out to be a superb evening’s entertainment. I don’t recall seeing anything on the stage by the illustrious playwright Edward Taylor before, although with over 2300 BBC programmes as scriptwriter to his name I must have seen his TV work. Clearly, I’m not the only one who rates a visit to see LBDG’s lesser known plays, as once again they were performing to an almost capacity audience. Their reputation, quite rightly, goes before them.

The plot of this play centres around Jim Watt, a high-flyer in the stockbroking and investment business, who works for a strictly moral American boss, and is running the London Office. The boss is due to come to dinner that evening! The problem is Jim is unmarried and only lives with his girlfriend, something his moral minded boss will probably fire him for, or transfer him to one of their outpost Middle Eastern offices. His girlfriend however, when asked to pose as his wife takes umbrage and storms out leaving him without a wife for the evening and desperately trying to find a replacement at short notice.  In desperation he turns to his cleaning lady and a work colleague for help and his cover story hangs by a thread. What could possibly go wrong?

The other thing LBDG do as well as anyone in the business is set building, which are always well designed and decorated to the highest standard. This was yet another example in the hands of Stage Manager and set designer, Mike Ward of how to do it properly.  Built by Colin Delamore and Mike Ward with a stage crew of Jan Murray, Phil Murray, and Phil Pope, the set was an upmarket London Flat fully carpeted throughout and built on two levels with a central wide two steps up to the front door, with a balustrade to either side leading to the study/office stage right and kitchen stage left. On the lower level we had two doors to the bedrooms stage left and fully curtained French windows stage right. Furniture was a three-seater settee with side table and a dining table with four chairs, and next to the French windows the inevitable well stocked and well used drinks table with wine rack below it. My only criticism of this otherwise well thought out set was the dining table itself which, after all is the purpose of the play, was rather small upon which to entertain a full-blown posh dinner party. But I knit pick! Its amazing that they ever build such solid sets in the first place considering the Library Theatre is up two flights of stairs with only a small passenger lift to transport everything to the top floor.

Lighting design was once again by the experienced Dave Miles and sound by Toby Comerford. Both worked faultlessly throughout, including several telephone calls and the background sound of a video game coming from the study where Jim was ‘supposed’ to be working. Properties were sourced by Barbara Springthorpe, Jan and Colin Delamore.

Director Colin Aldous certainly wasn’t taking any chances when he cast and directed this play, all of whom are very experienced and were very well-rehearsed. Mark Croft as our lead Jim Watt actually played the part quite calmly, as he stumbled from one unforeseen crisis to the next, which enhanced the comedy enormously. Not quite a man caught in the headlights but the way he reacted on his feet was Mark at his comedic best.

Hannah Williams Lovell as Jim’s live in girlfriend, Helen Foster describes herself in the programme as a professional actress with her career currently on hold whilst she brings up her young family. Clearly with a wealth of professional experience behind her, she was perfectly suited to playing the part of the ‘taken for granted’ girlfriend who storms out leaving Jim in the lurch.

Jan Delamore as cleaning lady Edna Chapman was an absolute revelation, a comedic delight as someone trying to play a part somewhat above her station in life, as she drops one clanger after another continually referring to her real husband and having to back track trying to dig herself out of deeper and deeper holes. Hilarious!

Chloe Nixon as Jim’s work colleague and researcher Terri Pringle is the relative newcomer to the LBDG fold, but certainly held her own in this illustrious company, throwing havoc into the mix when she arrives in the middle of the dinner part to become the 3rd candidate to be Jim’s wife.

Colin Delamore as Jim’s American Boss, Bill McGregor nailed this part with his Colonel Saunders facial hair look and a perfect American business suit. In the programme he invites the audience to guess which part of The States his accent originates, which I hasten to say was perfectly believable, but I respectfully decline on the grounds I once cast an American from the Midwest in a play I directed, only for the NODA rep to criticise her ‘dodgy’ American accent.

Liz Rhodes as Bill’s wife Nancy McGregor also nailed the part very well indeed as the ‘background’ wife to the important man, but who took no truck and was a deft hand at keeping her husband under the illusion he was the boss. Very cleverly played.

So overall a great cast with a very funny script who certainly did it justice. I did notice one or two throw away jokes that went over the heads of the audience, but it was fast paced throughout, riveting and, judging by the expressions on their faces afterwards, very much enjoyed by both cast and audience alike. Well done indeed to Colin Aldous, his cast and crew. It is always great fun coming to the Library Theatre to see an LBDG’s show and this one was up there with your best.

Finally, many thanks for your usual top draw hospitality and especially to Barbara Springthorpe who from her holiday hotel in Australia arranged for us to be greeted at the door by the director himself with a bag of goodies containing drinks and programmes. You can’t get better than that!

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