Rumours

Octopus

Rumours                               Christ the King, Church Hall                 June 12th 2019

Director: Nigel Lane

This is an extremely challenging play in many ways, not least the requirements of the set.  I had recently seen another production of this play and wondered how the complex set of five practical doors with a staircase which leads to a landing with two of the doors opening from it, could possibly be fitted onto the tiny stage of this venue. But once again, stage manager, Geoff Gill had worked his magic with the help of his hard working stage crew; it was a triumph. The height of the landing gave Clive Roberts a problem lighting it, but he rose to the challenge and the whole stage was well lit.  The lighting combined with the well-timed sound effects when cars were arriving was very realistic.  The cast had been well costumed for a celebratory dinner party, with men in DJs and the ladies in cocktail dresses, except for the slightly eccentric Cookie.

The play had been well cast and there were some confident performances.  The play has a wordy script and as it is a farce needs to be extremely well timed, which this cast handled, with no obvious stumbling.  The action takes place at the home of Charley Brock and his wife, who we never see, on the occasion of their 10th wedding anniversary.  Their friends Ken Bevans and his wife Chris arrive first and find a dazed Charley in his bedroom with a bullet wound in his ear lobe and his wife missing.  Charley is a prominent government official, and so they decide try to keep the story from the rest of the guests in an attempt to keep it from the press.  It transpires that each of the guests has problems of their own.  As further events unfold the situation descends into total, hilarious chaos.

Everyone had worked well with their respective ‘spouses’ and had created believable ‘pairings’.  This combined with excellent portrayals of whiplash injury, a bad back, getting tipsy, being deaf, together with a spell-binding monologue, was excellent entertainment.

This play written by Neil Simon was originally set in America, but this version had been anglicised, which I think makes it more interesting for a British audience and does not require American accents.  The timing of farce is so important to the success of the play and Nigel Lane had worked well with his cast to produce a pacey, well-timed piece of theatre.  The characters were well defined, and had good delivery, all working together.  There were good responses to the other actors and the developing situation.  This play would not succeed without a well-planned and constructed set.  Congratulations everyone on cheering us all with an excellent production of this hilarious play.

 

 

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