Pools Paradise

The curtain opened to a well deserved round of applause. The set designers and builders are always first class at this company and this particular set was also very well dressed. Lighting and sound were very appropriate, just what we expect from this society.  Sad to say this cannot be said about the content of this  play. It is very dated and at times the humour was banal to say the least. Having said that, there were some excellent performances by those on stage. Alison Griffiths-Barnes as Penelope had the bulk of the dialogue and she created a very good character which dominated the show. Jean Hutchinson as Miss Skillon was delightful and showed her  experience with her timing and her ease on stage.  Kerry Chippendale as Ida is a talented actor but this role would have been more successful without the attempted accent which confused the audience. It was good to see Tom Lane on stage again. I have seen him in many fine performances over the years and he proved, with this delightful cameo, that he can still entertain an audience with his evident skills. John Sangster as Lionel never stepped out of character with his bumbling portrayal of the Reverend Toop and he brought out what little humour there is in this play. Dorothy Bolton, Director has ensured the pace of this piece never flagged and the timing of entrances and exits was reminiscent of the best of “The Whitehall Farces.” I particularly enjoyed the unusual curtain call. Well done to all. Thank you for, once again, making my wife and I so welcome.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.