Play On

 

                               

I was warmly welcomed on arrival by Director’s Assistant Nicole Eve and talked with Director David Thompson during the interval. I also met with Terry White who, along with the Director was responsible for the set design. The main action of the play took place in a local community theatre which was being used as the rehearsal space and performance venue for this play within a play. The set was well designed and very adaptable with plenty of entrances and windows one of which looked out onto a beautiful tree in the garden. Sound and lighting were good and worked well and there were some great sound effects.

 This was a very humorous comedy in which all the actors played their roles with great skill and energy. The casting of all the characters was good with everyone clearly enjoying their role. The interactions between the actors was excellent in this fast moving play and everyone used the stage to good effect.

Charlotte Root, as Aggie Manville, the Stage Manager and prompt, was seemingly frustrated by  the delays in the rehearsals of the play and the obstructions in the way of progress. Jo Thorne, as Geraldine “Gerry” Dunbar, the play Director, played this role with great patience only occasionally venting her feelings when things went wrong. And they did go wrong creating much chaos ! She alternated between encouraging, chiding, organising, directing with some emotional moments.

David Lye, as Henry Benish/”Lord Dudley” played this role really well as a patient bumbling but harmless old duffer completely dominated and over shadowed by his wife Polly Benish/”Lady Margaret” admirably played by Karen Davies. This pairing was excellent. Alexandra Lynch had a small but  hilarious role as Marla,’Smitty’ Smith/”Doris”.

Villain of the piece was Dean Kiely playing Saul Weston/” Dr Rex Forbes,” full of his own importance. This was a powerful interpretation by Dean capturing the blustering, sarcastic nature of the Doctor and his frequent verbal sparring with Lady Margaret. Lots of humour here when things inevitably go wrong again !

Callum Winterford, as Billy Carewe / ”Stephen Sellers” played a handsome but rather immature young actor, unsure of his words and just adding to the chaos around him.

Violet Imbry /”Diana Lassiter” was well played by Phoebe Walkey as a young and attractive actress who was the potential love interest of both Billy and the Doctor with hilarious results. Janet Woods played Louise Peary as a weary and rather ineffective sound and lighting technician giving the impression that it was all really too much for her to contend with. Again lots of laughter here.

Brenda White-Robinson played a wonderful character, Phyllis Montague, a haughty and over bearing novice author, responsible for writing the script for the play. She constantly interfered in the rehearsals much to the annoyance of the Director. Brenda interpreted this character brilliantly, striding around the stage in an authoritative manner and constantly announcing revisions to the script up to the very last minute.

I congratulate Director David Thompson and his Assistant Nicole Eve for their skilful interpretation of this very humorous script and their ability to maximise the skills of this excellent cast.

Well done to everyone involved in any way.

I enjoyed this immensely as did the lively audience

 

NODA owns the intellectual Property Rights to the content of all show reports written by NODA Councillors, Reps and Assistant Reps 

 

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.