Pack of Lies

The Bartholomew Players were fortunate to have their Patron, a professional screenwriter, to direct this show; his experience and reputation drew some excellent performances from a talented ensemble.  The actors had clearly put a lot of time and effort into their craft: they knew their lines thoroughly (including some lengthy monologues) and they delivered them very naturally and convincingly.  Cues were timed well, although there was a (perhaps understandable) reluctance to talk over each other even when tempers were becoming fraught or emotions were running high.  A great deal of attention had been paid to the blocking, so Bob and Barbara Jackson might sit in different places in the living room according to their responses to news or events, and movements never felt awkward despite the slightly cramped hallway and kitchen-diner sections of the set.  Body language was used to good effect, so you could read the emotions of the characters through how they entered a scene, or stood; unnecessary gestures were generally avoided, thanks in part to the realisation that real people rarely just talk, they tend to converse while doing something else.  It wasn’t surprising that the temptation to use gestures proved strongest in the monologues that were addressed directly to the audience.There was much to admire in the period setting, not least in the way that the manners of the era were presented.  I particularly liked the way in which the gentlemen started to get out of their seats when a lady entered or left the room, and other echoes of sixties domestic life were to be found in the hospitality (centred around the drinks cabinet and the teapot) and the chimes of the mantelpiece clock.  The solidly constructed set made clever use of the wide and shallow stage, with some key dividing walls missing so we could see everything (including instances of characters eavesdropping on each other).  The décor and set dressing was packed with period details, including a kitchen cabinet with a sloping front, and some suitably dated wallpaper.  The properties team provided some excellent details (for example, a black-and-white photograph of Julie was framed and displayed in the Jacksons’ living room).

The costumes were well judged: Bob’s braces were exactly right, and the muted colours of his sleeveless sweaters dated them to the 1960s as their more colourful brethren didn’t really come in until the 1970s.  Barbara’s cardigan helped her characterisation, with its buttons to play with and its seams to straighten, and quick costume changes were managed well.  Hair and make-up were subtle enough for the venue and appeared true to the time.

The Director and his assistant were able to bring out the best in the company, and the production values were appropriately high.  “Pack of Lies” is a compelling story for the ages, and the play has a strong narrative thrust, but the ensemble was also able to explore the work’s underlying themes of truth and lies; of friendship, trust and betrayal.  The presentation worked on several levels, and I think the Director’s wish that the audience should have as good a time as he did when he first saw the play was comprehensively realised.

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