The Vicar of Dibley

The Vicar of Dibley

Presented by

C.A.T.S.

C.A.T.S. Starting a show with Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 unexpected but brilliant. This built an expectation, as we open to the oh so familiar Dibley Council Committee room for an evening meeting.               

The strength of the Vicar of Dibley is the character led comedy, brilliant writing and casting.  Director Ian Wood had the script, so brilliant writing tick, now where was he going to find a collection of miscreants so known and loved as the tVoD cast. He only bloomin’ had them all along. He just needs to keep out of sight when the bill for the chocolate comes in.

Sam Hughes-Johnson, was Geraldine Grainger, not a caricature but the embodiment of the role. Superb. Her proposal scene with Owen Newitt, Jason Greenwood was hilariously done.

Dan Ede Smith as the haughty “do I really have to deal with these plebians” David ‘Toffeenose’ Horton, oozed an almost panto villain-esque loathing from his demeaning performance. Brilliant.

Tim Ray as Jim Trott was a wonderful caricature, no, no, no, no, yes it was. Similarly with Frank Pickle and Letitia Cropley, Stephen Haines and Melanie James respectively.

Despite several attempts to scene steal from the over exuberant Choirmaster Samuel Askey, conducting his erstwhile choristers with his hilarious off beat lunges, so hard to do, especially if you’re a musician/dancer. The scene stealer award honour went to the wonderfully dim lovebirds, Alice Tinker and Hugo Horton, Sarah Lewis and Rich Gilbert who were utterly fabulous.

The show has all of the best bits from the TV series, an amalgam of mirth, which brought the best out from the excellent cast.

A simple set, sound and lighting were good, the guitar noises clip was extremely loud near the front other than that great.

As usual C.A.T.S. hit the spot. Laugh out loud comedy, brilliantly delivered. Any other business? No, Meeting Adjourned.

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