The Body

All I knew of this play was the promotional material generated by Gweek Players so I came with an open mind eager for an evening of entertainment from this well established company who are more than happy to push the boundaries of conventional amateur dramatics.  As usual the Crush had been decorated to give a hint of the play’s content, this time with seaweed- and cockle- strewn fishing net and appropriate American flags, posters and record covers.  It is great credit to the society members that they consider it worthwhile and find the time for this extra effort when they move into the Village Hall. The director’s programme notes called this partly “a surreal absurdist tale driven by existential angst” - this might prove a challenging evening, I thought.  So I was glad to read also that this might be seen as a Cornish Under Milk Wood-style comedy (comforting) and information about playwright Nick Darke’s experiences that led to the writing of this script, setting it into context. 

With tabs open as the audience arrived we were able to see on the half-lit stage an open window set into the upstage backing, and two flats, one each side, with black drapes giving further entrances. The flats had been given a rough indication of military camouflage that was repeated on nets hanging on the fore-stage at left and right.  An undecorated false pros-arch acted as screens to allow film projection for enhancing a couple of the later scenes.  This representational set permitted minimal scene changes for the number of settings required.   Upstage centre was a large black ‘blob’ that proved itself to be a covered sofa.  Since this was removed for the second half I did wonder why it spent so much time on stage before it was needed when there was obviously space for it backstage.  Perhaps manoeuvring it around flats was going to be tricky so I can see having it pre-set was probably quicker than pushing it on.  A table and a selection of chairs plus a wheel-on police station desk swiftly moved the action from location to location.  We saw a cutaway section of the stage craftily providing a seashore pool from which the comic dummy Body was pulled, and that the side flat right turned to show a blackboard, while that on left was easily revolved to allow Archie to climb into a ‘tank’ in front of a brick wall.  As the flat was turned back again it was impossible to see how he had crept through it to effect the quick change into his muddy persona.  Clever design.  The army quarters used a low rostrum that crossed the stage to elevate and give status to the Sergeant at his desk.

With several unconnected scenes the lighting had to keep changing and different areas of the stage had their turn at being in focus.  Pools lit down right for the Gross’s kitchen, the steps at down centre, the cockle bed on the seashore, and very brightly the up left corner as we went into the second Part.  However, there was a section across the mid-stage in which the performers had their faces in shade.  They quite noticeably walked from being clearly visible to being in shadow on more than a few occasions.  That, and the deep human shadows cast on the flats is not something I’ve noticed at Gweek before.   Soft orange filters offered a change of mood and we were treated to an atmospheric dance hall scene. There seemed no consistency in whether actors would walk on in darkness or the scenes would segue with continuous action. The projection screens came into their own in Part Two that opened with their showing film of aircraft taking off to the accompanying roar of jet engines, before morphing into a cloudy sky with the trill of larks singing.  To support the grimly accurate village dance hall they displayed a close up of the plucky and acutely observed portrayal of a less than glamorous social club singer.  This scene was well rehearsed to time the recorded volume changes that allowed for conversation to be heard, and the end of the dialogue with the last notes of the song she sang so there was no need to cut the soundtrack.  Music was used earlier to denote effectively the passage of time as Grace waited for Ken to return.   The vocal levels were all sufficient for the voices to be heard and the accents didn’t hinder the understanding, but Gilbert’s diction was not always clear enough to be discernible - of course, he had his mouth full a lot of the time, but we still need to hear.  A perfect example would be the immaculate choral speaking of the Farmers of the Parish, who were impressively in sync, with every word clear as a bell whether talking or a cappella chanting.  (How did they pitch the note?)  With barely a glance at each other their musical entrances and cut offs coincided beautifully…evidence of hours of rehearsal with the music coach.  The prompts were a shame but they happen; it’s how you cope that counts - these were given and picked up quickly enough to maintain the flow, and recovered from smoothly without unduly upsetting the audience or throwing the cast.

Your pre-eminent prop had to be The Body.  Whether you found an actor who looked like the dummy or modelled the dummy on the actor is your secret, but it is remarkable how alike they looked!  The changeover as Bud took centre stage on the sofa was enough for a double-take.  Before we got that far a bucket brimming with cockles and a well constructed hand-cart had made their appearances, as had the dailies Mirror and Telegraph, embroidery frame, bicycle and walkie talkie radio.  The Pan Am bag and the gas mask were either real finds if authentic or fakes artistically created specially.  I did wonder about the accuracy of the recognisably-cinema striped box of popcorn but congratulations to Gilbert, if it contained popcorn, on eating it without choking - it’s deadly stuff.  He seemed to enjoy the number of chocolate bars he had to get through.  There was a pantomime element to the over-sized cardboard handcuffs, (which could have been extended to the rat trap), the two-dimensional television set and the toy cat, which was in contrast to the very genuine guns on display.   The death of the lark with a few loose feathers as well as the body was thoughtful and the drop well timed.  The stretcher looked as if it had really come from an army hospital and appeared strong enough to support a body so I wondered why Bud walked off - he didn’t look particularly heavy but perhaps his bearers had bad backs.  I admired the variety of props required by the activities in the pleasing ensemble scene of ironing, shaving, gun cleaning, etc.

The costumes were a mix of natural day wear, albeit hillbilly to some extent, specialist for the Rector and soldiers, and an informal police uniform.  The Farmers in their boots, kerchief and hats, and Grace and Alice in their denim looked appropriate, as did Ken and Archie in their farming attire.  Did you consider muddying the hem of Mrs May’s skirt?  She seemed far too clean to have been cockling and not in keeping with the muddy effect on her boots, but Archie’s off stage change into a dirty outfit and foul wig was well accomplished to leave him looking suitably dishevelled top to toe. The beautiful hanfu and dragon Emperor’s cap of the Rector juxtaposed with his clerical collar was a strongly surreal and amusing image, and was worn with great style and confidence.  I really liked that the soldiers were not identical in their camouflage outfits, which may have been to indicate different ranks - I’m not an expert, but I know you had one!  There was a neat little character touch when the Farmers changed for Part Two and one was in uneven-legged trousers looking very comical.  Stripping Bud’s clothes and changing Ken out of, into, out of and into a new outfit on stage was skilfully performed and highlighting the dog tags demonstrated an admirable attention to detail.  Grace’s gory make up at the end provided the shock I’m sure it was intended to.

This production came across well and entertained the audience all of whom appreciated being out and seeing live theatre again.  For the most part the pace remained good but with a discernible loss during what I’ll call a “mime sequence” involving tea and buns in Mrs May’s home.  More or less without words this was not an easy scene to play but I felt more exaggerated animation might have helped.  It contrasted with the apparent spontaneity of a bit of physical business between Alice and Gilbert - “snap, snap, snap” - brief but delightful.  We were being asked to suspend our disbelief because of the nature of the material, so when I was obliged to suspend mine even further as the Body was carried off up right via the same exit through which the Rector was simultaneously entering, apparently without seeing, I found it easier to ask why that wasn’t re-blocked.  Similarly, there were several occasions when the Farmers, passively observing the action with faultless attentiveness and relevant facial expressions, were set in direct line upstage of the main protagonists to whom they were presumably invisible.  This tended to ‘muddy’ the silhouette of and detract (me) from the central activity - but it must be only me or it would have been changed I suppose.  We all got a great deal pleasure from the hilarious addition of Mavis Rickard to the dance hall scene - how to steal the show without saying a word!  Gloriously underplayed by both her and Stanley it was an absolute joy of simple comedy in this absurd tale.  What appeared to be another difficult exchange was that between Walt and the Sergeant using little besides a string of abbreviations.  I can’t have been the only person to whom it made no sense whatsoever and for whom it went on rather too long, but the familiar manner in which these players threw the lines back and forth has to be congratulated.  There were impressive freezes  - so important not to move a muscle or change your gaze to be effective.  Everyone on stage exhibited believable eye lines whether conversing with another or looking out front - without engaging eye contact with the audience, and there were credible and distinctly differentiated characters being created by the actors.

I feel I have been educated and stretched by watching this play.  I don’t see a script so have no knowledge of how much is given in stage directions and how much comes from individuals, but my observation is that there is a great deal to think about taking on something so out of the ordinary.  Good houses will show you how successful this venture has been financially and should encourage you to keep on daring to try the new.  I look forward to another opportunity to visit you, perhaps at one of the forthcoming shows so invitingly promoted in the programme. It was an enjoyable evening out and my thanks go to everyone involved, on stage and ‘backstage’.  Also to the front of house team for the warm welcome I received as well as the delicious pud - a true labour of love and greatly appreciated.

 

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