The Darling Buds Of May

I was unsure what to expect from The Darling Buds of May, having spent a good deal of my childhood watching the TV series (It was one of my dad’s favourites!). However, I had nothing to worry about as the play has just as much charm as the screen version.

Upon entering the Star Hall, we were presented with an open set. It was bright and spring-like with plenty of flowers and foliage that set the spring/summer feel of the play. I loved the new addition of the cut boarders across the top of the stage, it added to the set enormously.

The story follows a typical summer with the Larkin family who seem to effortlessly glide through harvests, a gymkhana, a cocktail party, a proposal, a pregnancy and the dreaded tax inspector. The cast (some founder members of Tingdene Entertainers and some new) worked well together to bring the story to life.

Jonathan Ellson had a mammoth role as Pa Larkin and he characterised his love of the ladies, and Ma Larkin “Perfikly”. Charlene Clark as Ma Larkin did a sterling job of playing mum to 6 while giving the audience hints that she might be pregnant with yet another Larkin!

The standout performance for me though was Reece McCormack-Morgan as Cedric Charlton (Charlie). Reece had a huge part to play and did so with ease, his facial expressions and mannerisms were spot on, I hope we see more of him on the stage soon. I must also mention Becca Hayward as Mariette, the first time I’ve seen her in a principal role, and I hope it’s not the last. The relationship between her and Charlie was lovely, even down to sitting and reading the paper together.

The children were well cast and did a wonderful job of acting behind the action but without drawing full attention to themselves. I wonder though if the children could have been used more to change the set rather than some long pauses where the set was changed in half light. This might have been achieved better by using the set changes as the children setting up for dinner or setting out a picnic.

Tingdene Entertainers was the society where it all started for me; being directed as The Tinman in The Wizard of Oz by June Johnson’s late husband Shaun. I couldn’t write this report without paying him tribute and thanking him for everything he ever taught me.

We had a lovely evening at The Star Hall, congratulations to the cast, crew and society on a lovely production.

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