Out Of Order

Written by Ray Cooney in 1990, the story revolves around a married government minister who has a clandestine meeting with the opposition leader's secretary, but their plans are interrupted when they find a ‘body’ caught in the faulty sash window. The story then follows  MP Richard Willey's efforts to protect his reputation.

The good set was of a 90’s hotel suite with three doors and a sash window all of which were to play a pivotal role. Appropriate furniture placed towards the front of the stage allowed plenty of room for movement. Although I would have like to have seen an infill in the gap above the scenery, it didn’t detract from the action on stage. 

Dan Coles delivered an outstanding and believable  performance as MP Richard Willey, desperately trying to manage a chaotic predicament of his own creation, aided by his inept PPS, George Pigden, played by Will Cooper. Will’s depiction of the timid, somewhat dim-witted assistant, provided the perfect contrast to Willey's assertive scheming. Together, their sharp comedic timing kept everyone laughing throughout. A well-acted performance by Hannah Newell as the secretary Jane Worthington, a brave lady indeed to stand on stage in her underwear. It takes skill to ‘act’ as a body and Steve Mount, I admire you for the way you had to put up with being hauled around the stage, being hung in a cupboard and your confusion when you came round. As for the hotel staff, Joe Butcher was suitably severe as the horrified (although patriotic!) Manager, while Callum Howell was very confident as the grasping and incompetent waiter. Linda White supported both well as the uncomprehending maid. Caroline Topping played a well-judged performance as Pamela (Richard’s wife) who turns up unexpectedly. Paul Stanbridge as Ronnie (Jane’s husband) also gave a good performance, able to swing between anger and despair and to ‘bare all’ on his final exit! Well done to Bekki Howell as nurse Gladys another brave lady nearly baring all on her final exit.

For Ruth Oliver’s directing debut she didn’t make it easy on herself by choosing a farce which requires a well-disciplined backstage crew to manage the split second timing, with doors and windows opening and closing on cue and a word perfect cast but that is exactly what she got, a great achievement and a thoroughly entertaining evening.

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