The Ladykillers

For BLT’s last play of the season what a great play choice to end on – Graham Linehan’s (Father Ted, IT Crowd) adaptation of the Ealing Comedy classic, The Ladykillers.

Curtains opened to a split set showing Mrs Wilberforce’s lounge Stage Left with décor in keeping with the period and tastes of a single senior lady, complete with General Gordon portrait and covered bird cage containing a macaw (voiced by Alison Whittaker) named after the military man. Front door was Down Stage Left used as the entrance to all the characters who came into her home to liven up her life, with signature silhouette in door window harking back to Alec Guinness’ entrance in the film (nice touch). Down Stage Right were the stairs that led up (and then down, off set) to the ‘upstairs’ bedsit. A cubby hole was halfway up the stairs and played a significant part in the later action, as did the rooftop reveal behind the sliding Upstage Right flats, including a truck moving SR to SL.

Although the Set Design (Jolyon Coombs) was clear and distinct to portray the layout of Mrs. Wilberforce’s house, the lighting lacked atmosphere and depth so that the simple décor for the bedsit looked stark and under-dressed. Although Mrs. Wilberforce’s lounge was busily decorated, again the flat lighting reminded you you were looking at flats not the walls of someone’s house.

Mrs Wilberforce played by Margaret Marks carried the story well with Peter Scofield’s comic assistance as Prof. Marcus – it was ironic that he resembled Alistair Sim, the actor sought for the film and whom Alec Guinness admitted he was impersonating in his portrayal. As Margaret’s, Peter’s delivery too was clear and characterful and you understood that not only was he conducting the sham orchestra but also orchestrating the plot, his tone – unlike the orchestra (!) – hitting all the right notes.

All the members of the gang/ ‘orchestra’ were clear and distinct characters with Andrew Cropper’s Harry clearly bold and reckless and Steve Harrison’s One-Round obviously several rounds short of a full match (clever writing by Linehan implied towards the end his manner could’ve been his own subterfuge to deceive the others). Director Frances Clemmitt had the quandary of how larger than life these characters should be and with Marcus, Harry & One-Round you could see some success, but maybe missed opportunities with Louis (could his Romanian accent have been more exaggerated and thereby comical?) & the Major (his penchant for dresses could’ve been camped up more). Although not in the gang, could Chris Watt’s Constable Macdonald have been more mannered in the style of a Dixon of Dock Green-type?. . .nevertheless his matter of fact delivery did help to top and tail the story with his kindly disbelieving and generous letting off of Mrs W.

I enjoyed the ladies ensemble of Mrs Wilberforce’s Guests creating a fussily moving melee of old dears (Dorothy Green, Janice Drake, Sylvia Swain & Viv Bloomfeld), Nicola Bateson played their spokesperson Mrs Tromleyton – all were suitably attired in their generation’s ‘30’s look. On that note Mrs Wilberforce’s hair and costume did not reflect the time or her generation’s fashion sense (we were after all carefully reminded this was in Suez crisis times by Mark Bloomfield’s Newsreader).

With period authenticity and the extent to which you comically edge the characters a challenge to any director, Frances did nevertheless create some nice tableaux with the gang-in-the-cubby hole reveal and the roof top reveals with clever use of the trucking and sliding flats. My overall impression as an audience member was to wonder how much more could have been derived from such a strong script and the inevitable, possibly unfair comparisons one makes to the original portrayals, again another challenge to any director but nevertheless an excellent play selected for a season finale.

Thank you for the invitation and hospitality extended to my guest Mindy and I.

 

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