Round and Round the Garden

This is the first time I have seen this particular play by Alan Ayckbourn, part of the Norman Conquests trilogy and I do not like it as much as some of his other offerings. This is nothing to do with this performance by Fylde Coast Players. It was very well directed and performed. We were greeted by a very well constructed set with atmospheric lighting to set the mood of the piece. We were immediately drawn into the complex relationships of the family, one of  Alan Ayckbourn’s favourite themes. The central character of Norman was soon causing havoc. Andy Cooke played this wordy and physical role well and was the catalyst for most of the action. I felt the first act needed more pace but this was certainly corrected in the second half of the evening when things “hotted up” in every way. There were no weak links, with all on stage always in character. I was particularly impressed with Helen Barrow as Sarah and Heather Cartmell as Ruth, two actors who never disappoint. Lighting and sound ( I particularly enjoyed the choice of incidental music) and very appropriate costumes made this another success for this very talented company. The audience certainly warmed to the various characters as the evening progressed with much laughter, a sure sign of a very enjoyable evening

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