The Good Life

This was my second visit to review a production at the Westcliff Theatre, and once again, I was made to feel incredibly welcome. I absolutely love this venue, it is a large, six hundred seat theatre and Brenda, the show Director told me that they were hoping to reach one thousand tickets sold during the run – a phenomenal achievement! I was able to spend a few minutes in the foyer before the show began and it was clear that everyone connected with CADS went out of their way to ensure all audience members felt welcome and valued and once again, full credit to everyone connected to CADS in any capacity for your sheer enthusiasm and kindness.

The auditorium was approximately half full, so an excellent audience of three hundred for a Friday night and there was a real air of anticipation as the opening music began. The audience in general remembered the 1970s sitcom and this added to the enthusiastic atmosphere. The cast numbered ten, and this included a couple of actors who doubled up in roles.

 

The set was clever and effective; it consisted of two dining rooms/lounges of neighbouring houses. There were several doors in the set and the stage was used very well, with actors coming through and leaving in order to get onto and off the stage and ‘Margo and Jerry’s’ house’ had a 1970s hatch, which was used very effectively throughout the play.Scene changes took place fairlyfluently and seamlessly and appropriate music was played while the stage was being set for subsequent acts.The sound effects were good, and the lighting was good and worked well. All characters could be heard at the back of the hall and while there were a few prompts, this did not detract from the overall enjoyment of this funny play. The second act, before the interval was particularly entertaining.The costumes and make up were good and changes based on the seasons worked very well indeed.

The casting of the characters was good and the relationships between Barbara and Tom and Margo and Jerry in particular were highly effective and believable. The timing and pace of this play was in general, effective.

Barbara and Tom played by Charlotte Root and Charlie Vaughn were a believable, likeable couple who brought a real depth and warmth to their roles. Margo and Jerry were played by Jo Thorne and Alex Bass and their characters were polar opposite of their neighbours and rightly so. They played the neighbours very effectively and were aghast with Barbara and Tom’s proposal to start living a sustained life away from the rat race next door to them. Jo Thorne is to be particularly congratulated for her ‘Margo characteristics,’ which were exceptionally good, humourous and effective.

‘Sir’ Andrew Ferguson, played by Gary Huggins, Felicity, played by Alexandra Lynch, Margaret, played by Kat Swift, Harry the Pigman and the Policeman, played by Keith Sippitt, Dr Joe, played by David Thompson and the Milkwoman and Mary, both played by Janet Woods all added to this funny play, where characters came and went, got into issues and eventually everything ended up happily.  Keith Sippitt is to be congratulated for his very funny portrayal of Harry the Pigman.

This was a good theatre production, and everyone involved should feel immensely proud of themselves. It is always a slight risk, taking on a very well-known situation comedy but CADS pulled it off exceptionally well. Full credit to Brenda White-Robinson and Tracy Lancaster for terrific casting and directing.

A terrific night’s entertainment!

 

Neil Jackson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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