The Last Quiz Night on Earth

Nantwich Players were back on stage with their production of ‘The Last Quiz Night on Earth’ by Sharon Dutton, another play as part of their Studio productions. This production was directed by Sharon Dutton. It was an interesting concept for a piece of theatre, with a pub quiz incorporated into the drama. It needed a steady hand at the helm to guide the audience through this production, and Sharon coordinated the various elements well. The pace of the production was generally good. It did slow, especially when coming out of the quiz rounds back into the story, but this is more due to the writing then Sharon’s direction. Some of the story was lost during these moments, due to the audience quietening down. The characters were well drawn out, with clear relationships between the characters. The interactions with the audience were well handled by the cast. The set looked good, and transported the audience to the Four Horseman Pub, with some audience members sat on the stage, creating a fully immersive environment. This worked very well for this production, highlighting the community feel of a local pub. The costumes were good and suited each character. From Ray’s sequined jacket to the dishevelled look of Bobby, which contrasted nicely with the put together Kathy.

Technical aspects were well thought through in this production. The music from the jukebox was cued well, and was at a good level. Other sound effects were cued well and added to the production, such as the final moment. There was a general lighting wash throughout for the pub interior, which was all that was needed. House lights came on during the quiz sections of the production, allowing the audience to write their answers down.

Marianne Hill held court as the pub landlady, Kathy, with shades of Peggy Mitchell and Bet Lynch. There is a great skill in interacting with the audience whilst in character, and Marianne handled this skill well. Marianne’s vocal delivery was strong throughout. She was able to tell Kathy’s story well, in between the quiz rounds. This was a pleasing performance from Marianne.

Luke Murphy was suitably flamboyant as Ray, the quiz master. There was an ease to Luke’s performance, and he handled the interactions with the audience very well. He was quick witted, and delivered the comedy well. Luke created a great partnership with Jenny, with their relationship being where most of the comedy came from.

Simon Porter created an air of intrigue with his initial entrance as the mysterious Bobby, who we later learned to be Kathy’s brother. Simon delivered some poignant moments through his conversations with Kathy, as his hard exterior softened, showing a troubled man who just wanted to reconnect with his sister.

Jenny Berrisford brought a great energy to the stage as Fran, and made an impact straight away. Jenny delivered some great comic moments, as she declared her love for her high school sweetheart, Ray. Jenny’s facial expressions were great throughout, and added greatly to the comedy.

Overall, this was an interesting concept for a production, which Nantwich Players attacked full on. The set certainly invoked a pub setting; the performers handled the audience participation elements well; and the pace was generally good.

A big thank you to everyone at Nantwich Players for their kind invite.

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