SS FARNDALE, LOVE, AND PORCELAIN FIGURINES

Another Farndale farce: you know that I do not relish the series but I have to say how well presented and what fun for all in company and audience, it was so ridiculous that I just had to laugh!

FAHETGDS in ‘We Found Love and an Exquisite Set of Porcelain Figurines Aboard the SS Farndale Avenue’, what a title that says it all!

Jackie Overton is the master of comedy timing (and pauses) that makes all wait with baited breath for the next laughter moment, and to find the ideal cast for her to work her magic must have made rehearsals impossible with hysterical laughter moments.

Leading the ‘Ladies of Farndale’ in imposing and domineering style and commanding the action, Chrissie Robertson as Mrs Reece just took the wind out of any opposing sails, in spite of all the other talent presented, a role to relish and admire her bullying and down-sizing and stealing of each scene as she tried to get this production on the road, a ‘tour de force’ and all obeyed (including audience bingo!)

A very strong opposition for taking centre stage and winning the spotlight on several occasions, Nona Gray as Thelma had all the timing and style and experience to upstage her colleagues if she wished, again the partnership in comedy timing plus the petulance on being ‘commanded’ when she is her ‘own woman’ especially in the performance play, a great character and glamour performance, very period.

Tapping into all previous Melodrama from Music Hall to Comedy/Dame in Pantomime experience, the hapless Gordon from Nick Bird as the ‘token’ male in Farndale was not just OTT but Mega-OTT and with the dialogue, acting style and many well-timed pauses, he was the foil for the two ladies comedy lines and trying to take over each moment, but especially in his own role with masterful excellence, and increased the laughter quotient manifold.

New to plays but not to company, Kerry Davis as the put-upon Felicity survived the many roles and stand-ins, she fitted so well with the other characters and had to keep tracks of which part played, a really good trouper in this complex but stupid plot.

 And in the lesser roles we enjoyed Joshua Dyball as the DJ usurped from the Hall, Brenda Binns at keyboard, Peter Gray with sound and lighting, and the appearance of Robin Taylor on stage struggling with an inadequate and recalcitrant set, all very important to the performance of this Farndale farce. An excellent team effort.

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