The Ladykillers

Adapted cleverly by Graham Linehan from the 1955 film, this brilliant comedy tells of a gang of robbers who descend upon a sweet old lady to plan their dastardly crime and hide away.

The Electric Theatre provides an excellent venue for Guildburys’ productions. 

As always, a well-designed, eye-catching programme with excellent photography and a good Director’s Note. There were pieces on the original film, its writer William Rose, and the adaptor (2011) of the new version for the stage, Graham Linehan.

One thing (among many) that the Guildburys excel in, is the care they take over set design and props. Ian Nichols and Graham Russell-Price made a great job of this complex, multi-level set, with railway line to the rear, an important sash window, a crooked house in the background plus other chimney pots and rooftops, suggesting the chaos of post-war London. Mrs Wilberforce’s house, No. 60 on the front door, was charming, with even a functioning (sort of) tap in the kitchen. So of the period was this South London residence, that I felt I was back in my gran’s house. An old kettle fascinated, as did the bird in the cage, covered with a nice old piece of cloth. A side table bore a photo of her husband in uniform, together with his ashes in an urn. An old fashioned gramophone, in the style of His Master’s Voice played an important role, and an evil looking knife was also much in evidence. 4 string instruments were generously lent for our ‘string quartet’ – I wondered whether their owners were quaking in their boots as to the state they’d be returned in!

All kinds of effects were needed, as trains thundered past the window, signals changed colour, different areas of the set had to be illuminated, and so on. All was brilliantly executed, and added to the atmosphere. Music (played of course on the old gramophone) suggested the string quartet’s rehearsals and hid the sound of their plotting from the landlady, and a cacophony of sound was finally produced by the quartet to ‘delight’ the old ladies.

The motley crew of 5 very different crooks were helped in their characterisation by their costumes. The professor wore a smart suit of grey cardigan complete with pocket watch, and an extremely long knitted scarf, which was to play its own role in the proceedings. The major, complete with military moustache, appeared in a couple of elegant three-piece suits, one green tweed, one blue, and sported a red bow tie and pocket handkerchief. ‘One-round’ wore cords and a tweed jacket, beneath which was a very jazzy pullover. Harry Robinson was in grey ‘teddy boy’ type suit with velvet lapels, open-necked shirt and loose tie, and wore the appropriate hairstyle. Louis Harvey was all in black, with white tie, making him look like something out of the Godfather.

Mrs Wilberforce wore her grey hair in a bun, various blouses, cardigans and skirts, pearls and a pinny. Whatever happened to the pinny? Never see them these days. For the concert scene she wore a pretty white tea dress with a delicate pattern of flowers. Her friends, the 7 delightful ladies, all absolutely looked the 1950s, pleated skirts, lisle stockings, hats, beads and brooches – the works!

This is a play full of finely drawn characters, and exquisite comedy. The opening scene with the visit of the sceptical but kindly policeman interviewing the ever-suspicious Mrs Wilberforce about the latest perceived crime or nazi infiltration she had observed was delightful, with Eddie Woolrich making the perfect, slightly bumbling bobby, and Claire Racklyeft a wonderful, slightly odd, idiosyncratic Mrs Wilberforce, always keen to do her civic duty in that era of rampant crime. She obviously enjoyed the company, and being able to put the kettle on to provide Constable Macdonald his tea. The kettle played a very important role in proceedings in its own right. Mrs W had to constantly bang the pipe in order to get the tap to produce water (real water in fact, once again attention to detail!) with which to provide her constant cups of tea. Very funny, but also with echoes of the time.

Jay Orbaum gave us the perfect Professor Marcus, sidling in to apply for Mrs Wilberforce’s vacant room. He was suave and sophisticated, and he had a plan. He charmed Mrs W, who was delighted to let him take her room, and agreed to let him use it to rehearse with his string quartet for a forthcoming concert. Orbaum’s performance was immaculate, from start to finish. I loved the moment where, as everything was going pear-shaped, he said: ‘I need a brief moment of mental respite’ and turned into Rodin’s ‘The Thinker’.

His motley crew of co-conspirators then showed up. Neil James made a fine Major Courtney, very reminiscent of all those military types that were floating about in the 1950s, I’m not sure though that they all shared his penchant for cross-dressing!  Director Ian Nichols just got that hinted at, rather than actually carried out, and I enjoyed the subtlety of that.

Harriet Powell bounded onto the scene as the young irrepressible Teddy Boy spiv Harry Robinson, not with the best of nerves – he had to keep swallowing pills at all the tricky moments. ‘One-round’, the thick-as-a-plank boxer, trundled onto the stage. The clever plan was lost on him and he kept inadvertently letting the cat out of the bag, which led to some quick mental gymnastics from the Professor. Superbly funny performance by Oli Bruce, with good comic timing. Gabi King gave a convincing hoodlum Louis Harvey, lover of the knife, quite over-the-top, and full of great body language and facial expressions.

But to my mind, the piece de resistance was the appearance of Mrs Wilberforce’s troup of ladies she had persuaded to come along for the concert by her ‘string quartet’. Led by the doughty Mrs Tromleyton (Katthryn Attwood at her best), they trouped in, all aflutter, and perched neatly on the chaise longue or chairs, all attention, waiting for what they thought would be some delightful chamber music. Of course, they were confronted with the Professor’s group’s avant-garde scratchings, and left convinced of the privilege they had been given, to hear the ‘latest thing’ in classical music. Marvellous! I spent the whole episode absolutely spell-bound, watching their subtle facial expressions and attitudes, SO well-drawn, each and every one!

The second half went by in a flash. The plan went fundamentally wrong, of course, speedy escape was required. Gradually one by one, by fair means or foul, all five crooks perished. This left the not quite so ditzy Mrs Wilberforce realising that the money was all hers, so her trip to America for medical treatment to save the life of General Gordon, her very squawky parrot or cockatoo, was now hers to plan!

A marvellous comedy, superbly cast and directed by Ian Nichols. A great team of talented actors and a bevy of wonderful old ladies, who made my night! Great fun!

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