See How They Run!

Report

Author: Joyce Handbury

Bolsover Drama Group decided to perform the war time comedy ‘See How They Run’ to coincide and help celebrate the 70th. Anniversary of VE Day. It is a comedy classic, a madcap farce written by Philip King and set in a vicarage during the 2nd. World War. It is a tale of confusion, mistaken identities, misunderstandings together with the frenzied chases in and out of doors and of course, alcohol plays a large part in the plot. As always, the set and props are very good with the many doors needing to be extremely robust to cope with the innumerable comings and goings. The vicar’s wife, Penelope Toop, is an American ex-actress and is superbly played by Louise Sutton. She has natural stage presence and the style and vitality necessary to portray this uninhibited and exuberant character. Her husband, Rev. Lionel Toop, was convincingly played by Mick Whitehouse who spent most of his time running about in his underwear! Ruth Bonner was great as Miss Skillon, the snooty parishioner. Her fall from this ’perch’ to a very believable drunk made for some extremely funny scenes and Ida, the maid, with a touch of desperation for male attention, was endearingly played by Tracy Crowther. Chris Peck has great comic timing and excelled as Lance-Corporal Clive Winton, an actor friend of the vicar’s wife. Strong support came from Dave Paddick as the Bishop of Lax, Ken Radmore as Rev. Arthur Humphrey, Istvan Koszegi as an escaped German prisoner impersonating, would you believe, a Vicar and Paul Holland who stepped in at the last minute to take on the role of Sergeant Towers, and didn’t he do well! This was a physically demanding play for many in the cast and they carried it out with tremendous energy and impeccable comic timing all working so well together - an essential in such an energetic farce as this which depends so much on precise timing both verbally and physically. Congratulations to Janet Koszegi, the Director, and to everyone involved for an afternoon of hilarious entertainment. I would also like to congratulate Bolsover Drama Group on this, their 100th.production. This is indeed, an impressive achievement.