Ten Times Table

Ten Times Table

Woolgatheres

Little Theatre Birkenhead

30/5/24

Alan Ayckbourn was already a well-established playwright, known for his intense characterisation and wordy dialogue when he wrote ‘Ten tomes Table’ in 1977, describing the play as ‘a study of the committee person’ or 'a predominantly sedentary farce’. Alan Ayckbourn had spent the autumn of the previous year attending endless committee meetings in an effort to obtain funding and support for a much-needed move to a new theatre space. The frustration he experienced in those twelve months provided the impetus and an insight into the ‘procedures and protocols’ of committee work, more importantly the kind of people engaged in it.

The basic plot of the play is, a self-appointed committee meeting is being held at The Swan Hotel for the proposed Pendon Pageant. The committee plan to organise and raise funds for a re-enactment of a slice of local history ‘The Pendon Twelve’ in which a street protest by workers is brutally suppressed by the local militia supported by the aristocracy. They all want the same goal but all doesn’t exactly go to plan after much deliberation the committee divide malevolently into right and left. Eric the Marxist marshalling his support with tee-shirts; Helen was drilling the Right with the recruitment of Captain Tim, complete with a revolver under his pillow.

The committee members include an inexperienced optimistic Chairman Ray Dixon (Peter Merrell), his right-wing wife Helen Dixon (Liz Youster), Councillor Donna Evans (Helen Brickwood) a council member who revels in committee work, whose ageing mother Audrey Evans (Joyce Dennison) takes the minutes, a young depressed drunk Lawrence Adamson (Evan Dunn) whose marriage is breaking down,  a staunch Marxist Eric Collins (Adam Stubbs) his very quietly spoken female partner Phillipa (Victoria Pownall) a young volunteer Sophie Barton (Tanya Wood)and her domineering military obsessed brother Tim Barton (Shaun Greatbanks). Later in the play we briefly meet an out-of-control militarist Mark Kirkov (Finlay Gorden)

Directed by Steve Youster the action is predominately set around a committee table in the dilapidated ballroom at the Swan Hotel. The Committee is led by the larger-than-life Ray, played by Peter Merrill who is an absolute natural, even when losing his lines he confidently battled on with the timely interjections of his co-actors, mainly Helen played by Liz Youster, and Eric played by Adam Stubbs, who both gave strong performances. All the cast gave their best to this production, a special mention to hard of hearing Audrey played by Joyce Dennison, great one liner’s plus ‘jelly babies’, for me the biggest laugh in the last act, is reserved for Audrey who has been playing an inaudible piano medley, unnoticed amid the hue and cry. Priceless.

Although initially well received, the play has largely lost its appeal, which makes this play less popular than others in Ayckbourn’s extensive repertoire. I attended this production on the opening night so had expected some gremlins. When I later read in the programme ‘About the Director’ written by Steve Youster that the production had its fair share of issues, limited numbers auditioning, finding the ten cast proving difficult.  The issues resulted in a challenging eight-week rehearsal schedule, resulting unfortunately the play was under rehearsed, actors did struggle for lines at times requiring a prompt (Ann Warr). I did feel that the play itself was a little static visually (perhaps more to do with the script), that is until the final scene as militarist Mark Kirkov returns the bedraggled Helen, the drunken  aristocratic Lawrence toppling off his hobby horse, and Captain Tim running amuck with a loaded revolver, leaving the ever optimistic Ray to help the piano playing Audrey to safety. 

I always try to research plays I have not seen before, which I did with Ten times Table. What I thought interesting, the debut for Alan Ayckbourn’s Ten Times Table was at his new Theatre in the Round in Scarborough (replacing his old Library Theatre) a success for his many committee meetings, I am sure. I saw this production on the opening night, which as we all know can pop up gremlins, I am sure the full week run went well.

Thank you, Woolgatherers, for my invitation. It was an entertaining evening. I look forward to your next production.

 

Joanne Rymer

NODA

District 4

 

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