The Real Inspector Hound & Trapped!

I always look forward to visiting Haslingfield Little Theatre, which has earned a well-deserved reputation for the quality of its productions. On this occasion, the pleasure was doubled, as the audience was treated to not one, but two one-act plays.

First came “The Real Inspector Hound” by Tom Stoppard, a deliberately intricate piece whose complexities were helpfully illuminated by the programme notes and by the use of comic puppets at the outset. These offered the audience a succinct introduction before the curtain rose and returned at the end to bring matters neatly full circle—a charming touch that established the tone beautifully.

The play itself is perhaps best described as a comic whodunnit framed within a play-within-a-play, where the boundaries between the inner drama and the world beyond it become increasingly entangled—quintessentially Stoppard in its wit and cleverness. The second offering was “Trapped!” by Michael Green, another whodunnit, though this time more of a farce, with something of the spirit of The Play That Goes Wrong.

One of the qualities I have come to admire about Haslingfield is its care for set design, and this evening was no exception—indeed, it offered two sets for the price of one. The Real Inspector Hound was situated in a country house setting, framed by a gauze, behind which sat the two theatre critics observing the action from their seats. As the mystery unfolded, they too became drawn into its fabric. The use of the gauze was particularly effective, clearly delineating where the action was taking place and lending the production an additional layer of visual sophistication.

The two critics at the heart of the piece were the stiff-upper-lip Moon, played expertly by Nathan Dickinson, and the Scottish Birdboot, played by Joanna Morgan. The pair complemented one another splendidly, moving from monologue to monologue with the precision and rhythm that Stoppard’s dialogue demands.

The remainder of the small cast within the inner play comprised Mrs Drudge (Janice Chambers), Simon (Tom Hoeksma), Felicity (Charlotte Gayton), Cynthia (Darcy-Rose Miller, a welcome newcomer to the society), and Magnus (John Beresford). Each gave a sterling performance in bringing this densely layered script to life. Special mention must go to Laura Wyllie as Inspector Hound, a wonderfully rich character role that she seized with relish. Her expressive facial work and larger-than-life characterisation was particularly enjoyable.

I cannot deny that this is a challenging plot to follow, with a great deal to unpack in the space of a one-act play, but the company handled it admirably through both the strength of the performances and the thoughtful directorial choices, including the set and puppetry, which helped guide the audience through the intricacies of the text. Congratulations are due to Joe McWilliams, the director, and to all the cast and crew involved in this first production.

After the interval, our minds were granted a welcome respite from the cerebral intricacies of Stoppard as we were treated to the delights of “Trapped!”. I understand this was Jason French’s first outing as a director, and it was an excellent choice on which to cut his teeth; he handled the production with confidence and flair.

The stage transformation during the interval revealed a delightfully chaotic set, complete with collapsing props, recalcitrant doors, doors that quite literally fell off their hinges, telephone cords that disconnected at precisely the wrong moment, and even a hole punched through the wall. All of this was achieved with impressive cohesion and comic timing, exactly as one has come to expect from this group.

The piece itself was brief—I believe less than half an hour—but packed with high energy, fast-paced dialogue, and exuberant physical comedy, with havoc and tomfoolery in every direction. Once again, the cast was small: the House Manager (Amanda Hourmand), the Maid (Jenny Gore), Cousin Freda (Marion Campbell), Cousin Sheila (Sian Goodwin), and the Policeman (Jacqui Gruby), with particularly notable performances from Matt Dye as the Major, Katy Chapman as the wife, and Phil Chapman as the solicitor. I especially enjoyed Matt’s characterisation and what the programme aptly described as his characteristic swagger; his delivery contributed considerably to the play’s gloriously bewildering confusion.

As I say, it was over in a flash, and I emerged feeling a little exhausted—though entirely in the most positive sense. The cast and crew did a superb job in delivering a production of infectious energy and comic abandon.

Overall, it was a splendid evening in Haslingfield, and I shall look forward with great anticipation to their November panto.

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