The Noble Spaniard

A warm welcome awaited us and after being shown to our seats we were able to have a word with the Director prior to curtain up.

The set was that of a well furnished living room and you could be forgiven for thinking you were looking into someone’s house rather than at a stage set, such was the attention to detail.  There was even a lovely chandelier hanging from the ceiling.  Windows were dressed with swags and greenery and sunlight could be seen beyond the open glazed door to the garden.

The play, by W. Somerset Maugham was written and first performed in the early 1900’s and portrays the typical genteel way of life of the upper classes of the era.

A young widow by the name of Marion Nairne, well played by Lorna Catt, and her younger sister Lucy, a nice performance by Pennie Ellis, are spending the summer in Boulogne with Mr Justice Proudfoot and his wife Lady Proudfoot. Marge Ellis and Andy Roberts gave polished and at times very amusing performances  as the bored wife who exudes excitement at the thought that she may have (mistakenly as it happens) caught the eye of another and the rather straight laced husband, reprimanding his wife for showing him affection as well as having the audacity to show her ankles.

The central character is the handsome but somewhat ridiculous Duke of Hermanos, intent on declaring his love for Marion, who he has only ever seen through a window. Hoping to send him on his way, Marion tells him she is married. He avows that the husband must die.  What pursues is one mistaken identity after another, with a posy of flowers being thrown out of the window on more than one occasion and dueling swords and pistols at the ready.  A great piece of comedic acting by Peter Rosborough as the lovelorn Duke with a Spanish accent, kept up throughout.

Good performances from Mark Edwards as Lucy’s mustachioed fiancé Captain Chalford and Margaret Stainton as the totally confused maid Mary Jane, a lovely cameo role.

Granville Rush, using a magnificent French accent which never appeared to falter, had some good comedic lines and made an excellent Count de Moret.  His English wife, the Countess, supportive of her husband but prone to bouts of excitement was well played by Amanda Green.

This was a very enjoyable and well costumed production.  I particularly admired the beautiful evening dresses in the final act.

As for Marion and the Duke – well she obviously wasn’t going to get rid of him so…

Well done to everyone involved. Thank you for inviting me and for your hospitality.

 

 

 

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.