Round the Houses

Well done to everyone involved in tonight’s production. A farce is the most complicated and difficult form of humour in play form and this one was a tangled web of misunderstanding, misdirection and complicated timing. The characters were all played with style and maintained straight faces while everyone in the audience was laughing. A must for this style of production. The Simpsons (Laura Barnes and Cliff Cuthbertson) were well matched one dominant and the other confused. Add to the mix 3 characters from the estate agency a devious Boss (Sam Yuille), the focus of his amorous attentions (Emma Smith) and his bumbling assistant (Alan Johnston). They started the comedy, lost clothes and got trapped in the situation. The main mixer upper a well-meaning lady from the local WI (Monica Stranock) enhanced the confusion in the first half. Then the cast were joined by the assistant’s nervous wife (Heather You) and a local sex starved Doctor (Sandra Furye) A sum of many parts but all important to the plot.

The simple set was effective, the numerous doors were well used and the off stage sound effects were spot on and essential to the flow of the action. I particularly enjoyed the mixed up whisky drinks gag, a dog urine specimen and the contents of a flower vase. Tasty!!!!

The producer, Daniel Large, has worked well with this cast. The audience enjoyed the production and the numerous gags and antics were well received.

It takes a lot of courage to act on the stage but even more when you are in your underwear. Onward and upwards Abbey Theatre, excuse the pun!!!

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