The Good Life

I was warmly welcomed and shown to my seat when I arrived and I noticed immediately that there was an atmosphere of excitement and positivity from the smiling, chatting audience who filled the hall.  I had a sense of a real community who loyally supported this group.

The Good Life is a well-loved TV show from the mid 70’s about two neighbouring houses whose residents could not have been more opposite if they tried. Tom and Barbara are determined to make a more self-sufficient life, not caring what people thought of them, whereas next door Jerry and Margo see themselves as being part of high society and believe in keeping up appearances.  The script is extremely wordy and comedic timing must be on point as chaos ensues as we get further into the play.

The show opened with a policeman looking at the scenery (the garden on the apron) seemingly searching for something causing a bit of a stir amongst the audience. He then made the front of house announcements (fire, phones etc) in a comedic style. This was an inspired start, using a member of the cast in the role of a policeman who then appears later in the play. He threatened us with the ‘full force of the law if we did not have a good time and enjoy ourselves tonight’. Well, we had to do as we were told and we definitely did.

Tom Good, played by James Batchelor, decides he has had enough of designing the plastic toys for cereal boxes for big corporate bosses who value golf over pretty much anything else, and resigns. Barbara Good, played by Rowenna Gordon supports his decision with a little hesitance and financial worry but goes along with the idea of living life in a more sustainable way, and becomes very enthusiastic in time. Geraldine, the goat, and Pinky and Perky, the pigs, are purchased much to the disapproval and disgust of Margo Leadbetter, played by Anne MacCormack. Jerry Leadbetter, played by Richard Meeson, is a little kinder about his neighbours' decision and finds it all quite amusing!

Then we met Sir, played by Robert Haines as Tom’s former boss, suitably condescending and stuffy, full of his own importance and golfing stories. Felicity, Sir’s wife, was played by Sarah Hill, a highly strung woman who becomes increasingly hysterical as the play develops.

There were others we met - Paul Foster (Dr. Joe), Jacqui Hand (Margaret and the Milkwoman), Shannon Cooper (Mary), and Freddie Etele (the Gardener). Then came The Policeman played by John MacCormack upholding the law, and of course Geraldine the goat created by John MacCormack and operated by Kaya Elliot-Ball.

I am unable to go into any depth about the characterisations as this review would become too long, but everyone gave their absolute all and kept the energy high octane as the storyline progresses into a giddy drunken mess of an evening in both houses. The chaos was increased by a combination of alcohol, pot, a spiked poppy seed cake and Tom and Barbara's homebrew, which they named ‘Peapod Burgundy’. Even Geraldine the goat barged into the proceedings! The equalising effect of intoxication brought into focus the lack of difference between those from apparently different positions in society.

I was very impressed by Hambledon Drama Group’s performance of a very intricate, verbose and intense script. There were a couple of slips in line delivery, but the cast managed this very well and carried on, ensuring little impact on the flow and delivery of the play. The comedic timing was very much on point and the energy that went into the physicalities of the play remained at the same level from start to finish. Each actor had very obviously studied their characters thoroughly as they were able to faithfully emulate the original characters of the 70’s show to a tee. 

Belinda Hollingsworth, the director of this production, did an extremely good job of bringing this challenging show to the Hambledon stage. She, together with a dedicated team consisting of sound, lighting, props and set design and build (8 people in total!), the costumes, make-up, front-of-house and bar, publicity and supporters ensured that the entire evening was well organised and managed. Set changes were well rehearsed and swiftly executed demonstrating that there can be no show without an entire team.
I, along with the rest of this full house, thoroughly enjoyed The Good Life.

Well done for a wonderfully entertaining evening.

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