Rumours

Neil Simon’s original play “Rumours” is set in a swanky New York apartment and this anglicised London version works equally as well as does the description as a farce – you could not get any more farcical goings on than the episodes that arise in this play and yet in Louis Elsmore’s production for CADS Theatre Club – they are utterly believable.

In the limited space that the society has to work under, they achieved an extremely evocative set under the direction of Construction and Technical Manager, Craig Hill with functioning door, a flight of stairs and dedicated acting areas – all adding to the reality of the situation that the characters find themselves in. Ken Bevans and his wife Chris, played magnificently by Richard Mayes and Jaki Bateman, arrive at the flat of their friend only to find him too dazed to speak and with a bullet hole through his earlobe – here starts the chaos! Further guests arrive in the shape of Leonard and Claire Cummings, played by Rylie Corry and Tammy Steventon who have suffered a car accident and effectively wheedle their way out of anything slightly injurious to themselves, next Jon Pointon and Jamie Cross as Ernest and Cookie Cusack with their unhelpful contributions of amateur psychology and inopportune back spasms and finally Glenn and Cassie Cooper played by Max Coleyshaw Niamh Smith, superbly personifying the bright young things with their constant bickering and self-centredness. As they all deftly concoct their litany of lies and alibies, their amateur detection and finger pointing who should arrive on the scene but PC Conklin and PC Casey, played with great comic effect by Andrew Roberts and Lauren Payne.

As improbable events upon impossible events unfolded, minute by minute, it is essential for this play to move at pace, and it certainly did, barely giving the audience time to assimilate each unlikely occurrence and laugh at Simon’s impressively hilarious script.

 Add in some great sound effects and lighting from Daniel Richards and Sara Hill and Michael Steventon’s impressive Props, it all added up to a tremendous evening’s entertainment and judging by the reactions of the audience, was thoroughly enjoyed by all.  My most grateful thanks to everyone at CADS Theatre Club for their kind invitation and hospitality and look forward to their next production, “A Bunch of Amateurs” in April 2026

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