The Real Inspector Hound / Chinamen

Really good to be back at Bovingdon, and to see a fun re-start to their programme. 

Not knowing either play I was pleasantly surprised, and greatly amused.  The set was well constructed, to enable the cast of both plays to use it well, and lighting was suitable too.  I noticed the dead body on stage at the start, and wondered when it was going to feature, but of course the sofa obscured the body so it was there, but never evident, very clever, and of course crucial to the plot.

Costumes for both plays were very good.

The Real Inspector Hound was both interesting and entertaining, with very good characterisations.

I was particularly taken by Liz Lewis (Mrs Drudge) – the words had many nuances and her face told many stories, excellent portrayal.

Ben Hooker (Moon) and Iain King (Birdboot) played off each other well as the critics who eventually got involved in a situation within the play, which led to a different ending to the one I’d originally envisaged! 

Terry Casserley certainly looked the part as the dapper Simon Gascoyne, and proved a good foil to the other characters, well-achieved

Christina Payne (Felicity), Penny Coombs (Lady Cynthia) and Andrew Jamieson (Magnus) made a very believable trio as the occupants of the house, and created nicely contrasting individuals.

The final piece of the puzzle was John Godfrey (Inspector Hound).  But was he the Inspector?..... it seemed not as the play unravelled! 

The shootings were all accomplished well, and made for a very funny scene, then we had the final reveal, which explained what had been going on!

The second play, Chinamen, was a two-hander, with five characters.  I loved the fact that both actors accomplished their different characters so well, and seamlessly.

The set adapted well, and the use of the downstage doors to signify who was where and who, was excellent.  It was very funny, in the style of a farce, and I was so impressed with Imogen Roberts and John Mower, who tackled the various different individuals and their costume/character changes quickly and cleverly.

This was a laugh out loud play, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

My thanks to Bovingdon Players for their hospitality, I felt the Society had paid attention to the Covid guidelines without going over the top.  A thoroughly entertaining evening.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.