Taking Steps

Directorial debut for April Nash and how tight the production, a great team to back her and certainly all aspects of casting and supporting talents gelled into a smooth and fast production very necessary for an Ayckbourn farce.

This set with multiple rooms in the ‘haunted’ house designed by Nigel and Brenda Holmes worked brilliantly with all those ‘steps’ between rooms and floors adding to the hilarity as they were climbed and descended, plus all those doors fitted into this small stage. Other effects with lighting areas and sounds of thunder just enhanced the atmosphere in this play of crazy episodes.

Briony Thompson as Elizabeth, ’I was a dancer and it took years of training’, was very extrovert and full on with character, about to leave her husband but not wanting to be around when he finds out, the looks and personality for the role and how excellent her relationship with her brother Mark. George Page as Mark, who could bore the world to sleep, had all his problems of a broken engagement, and now should he support his sister, get involved with his brother-in-law, and all of their problems, typical Ayckbourn character, the relationship of these siblings good.

The tenant of the house, and possibly the next owner, husband trying to please wife, Peter Howell as Roland is always such a professional and convincing actor and this was no exception, especially in the quite hysterical sequences of the ‘drunken phase’, always so difficult to convince with underplay rather than OTT ‘pantomime’. And working with his fellow actors, what a team to delight the laughter buds.

And as a catalyst for all the mistaken cues for the situations, this supposedly weak and insecure and tongue-tied lawyer Tristam from Zachary Green in a masterpiece of moods and facial expressions, certainly he instigated several of the hilarious moments throughout with his ineptitude and misreading of situations and carrying out the wrong solutions leading to more mayhem (especially with the ladies). And how well he and Peter worked together, perfect foils for characters interaction.

Mark Wells as Leslie the house owner and builder wanting to push sale and contract gave a strong performance. Loved the survey of the house with the leaking roof, the bulging and uneven floors, the three participating had every chance for pure comedy.

And not to forget the poor fiancé Kitty from Carmel Hannant who really did not want to marry Mark, who spent most of the action locked in a cupboard, which also engendered more laughter throughout.

This was an evening of satisfaction for all the laughter and well defined characters in the different stupid situations and the interactions of an excellent team, and I can understand the comments made about rehearsals being non-stop laughter. And we never met the housekeeper, Mrs P, as she disappeared from the scene at the beginning of events, and wisely so.         

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