The Happiest Days of your Life

The happiest days of your life turned out to be one of the happiest nights in the theatre. This was a splendid production. I saw this selfsame play not too long ago and would not have recognised it as the same show.

Director Brian Dickson took full advantage of his excellent cast and provided his audience with a full quota of laughter as intended by the author. In essence an Uninhibited and expertly handled farce.

I repeat excellent cast because everyone captured the spirit of their role with aplomb. From the moment Dick Tussell played by Graham Breckon entered, the plot rolled along at a goodly pace exactly as required . Enter Rainbow (Mark Prescott); what a lovely interpretation of this often put upon school “dogsbody” this was. His facial expressions and air of complete disbelieve at the goings on of his employers was a delight. Robert Thunder caught the character of Rupert Billinge to a complete “T” and Headmaster Steve Youster exemplified the type of “head” we know and love”.The relationship between these four male characters was just right and the interplay between them enabled the humour of the situation to come to the fore.

What of the ladies? Well like their male counterparts they defined exactly what we might have expected from the staff of a girls boarding school. A determined Head mistress in the shape of Susan Reeve told us all we needed to know about this lady who was not to be trifled with. A delightfully dotty Miss Gossage beautifully played by Vicky Lodge all “jolly hockey sticks” press ups and cold baths. Her antics, particularly her penchant for high kicks etc whilst in pursuit of a reluctant Rupert Billinge were a joy to behold. Was their to be romance between some members of the opposing scholastic camps. Inevitably it fell to Miss Harper well played by Stacy King to became the enamoured of Dick Tussell who popped the question just when we thought he never would.

If there is a school there must be pupils and although were to meet only two of them both delivered their roles well. Daniel Lynch was Hopcroft minor a rebel if ever there was one; Barbara Cahoun

(Emily Swaine) looked and acted like the typical school girl she was meant to be.

Two sets of parents made up the remainder of this formidable cast. The reverend and Mrs Peck (Michael Hunter and Linda O’Brien) and Mr and Mrs Bowler (David Swift and Liz Youster).

They were to be given the runaround in an attempt to prevent them knowing that both a Boys and Girls school inhabited the same premises and all four played up to this with great style.

As I mentioned before this was a splendid evening’s entertainment and the whole of the production team and cast deserve all the kudos they are given. 

 

 

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