Dick Barton Special Agent

The play Dick Barton Special Agent is loosely based on the very popular 1940s BBC radio serial of the same name which was last broadcast the year before Ian Fleming created James Bond. However here we find the popular hero in a spoof adaptation of this iconic show written by Phil Willmott. Directed by the talented Gary Simpson, this action comedy is set in a 1940’s radio station where some radio stars are preparing to record a live radio broadcast, performed in front of a studio audience, complete with a screen for supposedly black and white cinema film, an applause sign and on-stage sound effects managed by Gary Simpson. In the story we find our hero Dick Barton fighting the evil Baron Scarheart who is intent on taking over Britain by threatening to poison all the tea supply with a controlling drug. At the beginning of the play we find that the evil Scarheart is trying to kill his enemy Dick Barton with a circular saw, but of course Barton escapes and he soon finds himself on an adventure which takes him on a journey between London and Berlin where he visits a night club, and encounters, a seductive female enemy agent, called Marta Heartburn, she seduces him, and he disappears. Barton’s sidekick Snowy then pretends to be Barton, and he meets an upper-class English girl and they both take on the task of trying to stop Scarheart, but as in all adventure stories, in the end our hero surfaces and saves the day. There was lots of innuendo in the dialogue and several very funny songs which are well-known tunes from opera, musicals and popular songs, that have new lyrics set to them in this very entertaining production by The Ormskirk Theatre Company.
  There were nine actors playing thirty different roles in the play, all working together as a team, to make sure that the show ran smoothly. Paul Falcone manages to pull off the important dual roles of Barton and his faithful working-class sidekick Snowy very well and Baron Scarheart was played with lots of relish and comedy wickedness by Dave Smith. Kelly Fisher was superb as both the, mysterious spy from Berlin, Marta Heartburn and the upper-class English girl Daphne Fritters, she also had a very good singing voice. Lesley Roper gives a lovely performance as the BBC announcer and Chris Smalley is also excellent as Barton’s other Scottish sidekick Jock.  These actors were supported by Simon James, Hellen James, Lisa O’Reilly and Glenn Prior who played many of the other important different characters very well. There were lots of different accents excellently performed by the cast with good clarity of words which meant the plot could be followed easily. The comic timing and pace of the production was good, which is very important in this type of slap stick spoof comedy. The cast were expertly accompanied and supported by Musical Director Brian Tubb, on the piano helping the cast produce enjoyable comedic renditions of the unique songs. 
There was one static set with 1940’s period props and a screen on the back wall of the stage which showed appropriate well-made video clips applicable to the story, and there were costumes which added to the overall feel of the production. This all transformed the stage and the room into a typical Radio Studio, well done to the stage and technical crew.

There was plenty to enjoy in this show: the songs were great and there were lots jokes to make you laugh, which made a very enjoyable entertaining evening for all. 

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