Rules For Living

After my warm welcome from the friendly front of house team, I took my seat, noting that I was fortunate not to be sitting on the front row, for a friend had advised me without explanation, that it would have been unwise. From the outset it was clear that this was a play which had the conventions of a traditional domestic comedy; the setting was festive.  The technical team had done a very good job of creating a serviceable kitchen area with cupboards and worktops and offered additional living room space with two winged chairs that also incorporated a table and chairs all laid for the family Christmas dinner. The presents were wrapped, the tree was up, decorations were around, and the dinner was in the oven.

The acting space had been well considered by the director (Dawn Vigurs) for the design allowed characters in this family gathering (when tensions rose and secrets were unearthed) to relocate their positions on stage constantly and inject essential energy into their characterisations and,’ rule following’.

 It was a family tale of disharmony, ruined expectations, overindulgence, and some of life’s coping mechanisms. As revelations began to unravel, tempers flared, hidden family secrets were released and suppressed emotions surfaced very fast. It was a high-speed play set in real time and took place on Christmas day. It represented many forced families reunited over a festive period, all desperate to be somewhere else and who avoid each other the rest of the year.it was both funny and genuinely touching at times.

Rules were displayed in turn, mounted, and spotlighted to the right or the left of the stage and read out. Different rules applied to each character. This allowed the audience to watch characters’ mannerisms and see the cues as their body language and behaviour changed to fit with how they coped with difficult circumstances. The rules were of different orders, for example, the character Sheena, played impressively by Christina Peak, was desperate to keep off the booze but had to have a drink each time she contradicted. Adam, her husband and one of the sons in rivalry, was characterised so confidently by Dominic Holmes who accomplished very well, putting on an accent when he mocked. Dominic was amazing as he struggled to contain his character’s frustrations, anger, and strong emotions before he erupted in the final scene. Matthew, his younger brother was played by the talented Rod Bissett who delivered this part with a comfortable ease. He had to slide into his seat as he told his girlfriend, Carrie, he loved her because he had to sit to tell a lie. As the play progressed there were further refinements added to the rules. Much of the play’s humour came from the discrepancy between what the characters were saying and what we knew they meant. The rules became more convoluted as the action unfolded which made this very entertaining for the audience. At the end of Act 1, I was already considering the many challenges that Dawn may have faced directing such a play with this complicated formula, but this production was executed so perfectly, and a superb cast had been selected, these were strong actors who were adept at verbal sparring and physical comedy. The audience was already appreciative, and it was clear that any trials and hard rehearsing were paying off.

They played stock characters which included the emotional blackmailing fussing matriarch, Edith, (who struggled to keep up the pretence of happy families). Edith was played by Joanne James magnificently. She played this role which I believe is relatable to many and she was realistic. She coped with difficult situations by cleaning frantically to gloss things over and pretend they weren’t happening. Her voice was kindly yet commanding, and her asides, such as,’ no silver in the dishwasher,’ and, ‘ less stumpily cut carrots,’ were delivered with aplomb.

Her sons, Matthew and Adam had both engaged in legal careers of contrasting fortune,( with Adam blighted by his failure as a cricketer);Adam’s wife, Sheena whose marriage seemed to be falling apart fallen  had turned to drink and overprotection of her daughter had become the object of affectionate attention from Matthew, who had brought to the family festivities, his girlfriend, an insensitive, self-obsessed actress Carrie who has decided she wanted to spend Christmas with the parents of her partner Matthew. Carrie was characterised effectively by Helen Stott, who played this role with conviction, she so wanted a wedding and was so suitably flighty and immune in many ways.   Completing the main cast was Paul Viles as Edith’s husband, Francis, a former judge, now wheelchair bound following a stroke. He had lost the use of his legs and feet but to the amusement of the audience was still capable with his hands and able to recite expletives. Paul’s role certainly gave us a few unexpected surprises.

The main five characters had no intention of listening to each other on any matter or attempting to tolerate one another’s opinions without snide comments, cutting glares or arguments. As the play progressed the arguments and petty behaviour between the two brothers escalated and at the end of Act 2 I fully understood why I had been advised not to sit on the front row. There was a tremendous food flinging fight with vegetables including sprouts, carrots, turkey, gravy and all the trimmings… pelted at each other with malice and duly splattered over the entire set. It was an incredibly well coordinated, cleverly constructed sequence and very fast. a hilarious climax to this marvellous play! This was truly a spectacle of a family’s descent into chaos.

For this play to be so entertaining and to generate all the laughs that it got, it was highly dependent on tight direction, uniformly strong performers with energy and passion and a hardest working stage management team. The Grange Players achieved this and set a high standard.

Thank you for inviting me.

 

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