The Good Life

On arrival at the venue, I was warmly greeted and shown my seat. Having never been to the Barn before, I was struck by how we entered the auditorium through the set, and how lovely the entire theatre is - intimate and warm, with an atmosphere of exclusivity as if something very special was about to happen here.

Before me was a stage on the flat set in two halves, one depicting a lounge furnished expensively and very tastefully with all the style and mod-cons of the 1970s, juxtaposed by the kitchen next door which was a vision of simplicity, demonstrating the   lack of disposable income. This made for a stark picture of the reality of the divide between social classes of the 1970’s in which The Good Life was created, the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’. Immediately you were aware that there are themes of contradiction and polar opposites. The set took me on a nostalgic trip, delightfully curated and bringing back memories of the houses I recall from my youth - the floral wallpaper, the boxy radio, and the Mason mixing bowl which ironically are de rigueur these days as we strive to be fashionably ‘retro’! Then the theme tune of The Good Life struck up and, lights down, the show was about to start.

Barbara Good, played admirably by Beth Evans, a very experienced and versatile actor, started the scene pottering around the kitchen waiting for her husband to come down for breakfast on his birthday.  Enter Tom Good, a tired shell of a man, disillusioned, hopeless and jaded by life in the rat race. Trevor Bratty portrayed a person who seemed to have had all sense of joy and hope sucked out of him by a pointless job that does not value him. Yet his true joy was to be near Barbara, his rock and safe harbour, with Trevor managing the emotional contrasts excellently.

The story develops into a decision Tom and Barbara make together to become self-sufficient, leave the rat race and step out of consumerist ideology all together with ingenious plans about raising animals, recycling and repurposing resources to produce food, fuel, power and only enough for what they need to live. 

Neighbours, the controlling, oblivious Margo Leadbetter, played excellently snobbishly by Sheila Elsdon, and her much maligned but bemused, scoffing husband, Jerry, portrayed brilliantly by Peter Colley, considered Tom and Barbara’s plans to be a horrific idea. But in spite of protestations about the cock crowing, Geraldine the goat bleating, the pigs grunting and the smell, Tom and Barbara were committed to their new lifestyle in suburbia and all the hard work and long hours that would entail.  Margo and to a lesser degree Jerry, looked down on their neighbours and their efforts with all the arrogance and disdain of the monied classes which resulted in a clever and hilarious dynamic.  Jerry’s wonderful leering giggle, not quite under his breath, which exposed certain unspoken fantasies perhaps, elicited spontaneous laughter from the audience each time.

Robert Day played more than one character in which he demonstrated his versatility and many years of stage experience to great effect. His skills in portraying nuance and accents was a pleasure to witness as he had us laughing with each character he interpreted.  Likewise, Jeanette Broad was excellent in her portrayal of a variety of characters, and her snobby, flirtatious, drunken, and hard northern dairy industry personas brought forth much laughter from the audience.

The changes of scenes were seamless and slick. Any addition of props or movement of furniture was unobtrusive and swift, and everyone knew what they were programmed to do. Costumes were true to the original and well sourced. The music was cleverly chosen and was peppered throughout…the sultry tones of 60’s and 70’s crooners was soothingly familiar and the choreographed timings of ‘radio on radio off’ cues were perfectly executed.

For me throughout the entire play the emphasis was on timing and getting it coordinated precisely and on point, which I can only imagine must have taken some time to perfect with many breakouts of laughter no doubt during rehearsals,  but for some scenes which were very complex, intense and chaotic the comedic timing and physicality produced by all was second to none.  Even if everyone had had a little too much Teema Marina or Peapod Burgundy (which could fuel a truck) the entire play went without a hitch. Everyone gave 100%, not 80/20, to this show and what a fantastic show it was. A line in this show referred to the fact that ‘amateur shows are rarely perfect’ but for me this was as close as any could get!!

Thank you all for an extremely enjoyable night out and very well done indeed!

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