The Vicar of Dibley

The Vicar of Dibley

8th June 2023

Barnfield Theatre, Exeter

A stage-play by Ian Gower and Paul Carpenter

Adapted from the original TV series by Richard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer

Directed by Samantha Purdue

Stage Managed by Neil Gill and Stan Clarke

Wardrobe by Sarah Prentice and Pip Hill

 

As the audience entered the auditorium the anticipation was palpable for this iconic, comedic stage play of such a well-loved TV series. We were greeted with an open set welcoming us to the village hall, the vicarage with its kitchen and living room and the church vestry. This was an extremely well-thought-out set, constructed by the company, with three entrances for the cast and some clever touches added. Stage right featured a beautiful stain-glass window created and subtly lit, with, surprisingly, a full-size organ standing below it. The Vestry was depicted as in the TV series with two chairs and a table with a floor standing candelabra, dimly lit, for those memorable jokes between Geraldine and Alice. Situated front of stage was the large meeting table in the village hall where the action began.

The opening notes of Howard Goodall’s arrangement of the 23rd Psalm transported the audience back to the mid-1990s as members of the cast enter the village hall to discuss the passing of their beloved Reverend Pottle and his successor.

Cleverly, the director assembled a magnificent cast who, all, had the vocal mannerisms of the original TV series characters with a touch of their own unique added qualities as actors.

David Horton was brought to life with a supercilious, sarcastic edge and controlled the meetings with a haughtily air. His comic timing with comments such as “Frank, you are the parish clerk not Alfred Lord Tennyson” portrayed this character perfectly. His obvious misogyny toward a woman vicar for Dibley was portrayed vehemently, dissipating as the play continues allowing the audience to warm to him, as we should. The actor portraying Hugo Horton, the shy and sometimes tongue-tied love interest of Alice Tinker, and son of an over-bearing father, David Horton, was outstanding in this role. His ability to portray his anxiety with his father and his gentleness towards Alice was just perfect and his explanation of his dad’s outrage at his choice of wife to Geraldine was “ducking” hilarious.

Frank Pickle was delightful as the suitably pernickety parish clerk, annoyingly interrupting proceedings and causing much amusement for the audience. Alongside was the slightly eccentric Mrs Cropley, who, silently knitting, produces gag after gag with her peculiar cuisine choices of ham and lemon curd sandwiches and lard and fishpaste pancakes. Her lines, hilariously delivered by this actor, causing the audience to guffaw with laughter.

We were treated to an almost carbon copy of Trevor Peacocks’ portrayal of Jim Trott by the actor cast in this production. Every line was delivered with perfect comic timing and had the audience in uproar. His best man speech, in particular, was memorable, causing the actors to pause to allow the audience to recover from laughing so much. This actor had worked hard to produce such a complete and brilliant characterisation. Equally side cracking was Owen Newitt, the sex crazed farmer with a dodgy bladder. The scene where he persuades the vicar to kiss him was side-splittingly funny and his comments “sizzle my sausage” and “I’ve got a bit of pork stuck in my teeth” were greeted with shrieks of laughter.

The late Emma Chambers was the original Alice Tinker. Portraying such a pivotal role must be challenging especially when building the relationship on stage with Geraldine. These two actors did this with immense ease.  From the minute Alice says to Geraldine “you can call me Alice… because it’s my name” we knew we were in safe hands with this portrayal, Naïve, innocent Alice was perfectly depicted and lovable from her entrance.  The onstage relationships with both Geraldine and Hugo worked especially when Hugo is proposing to Alice and the famous joke scenes in the vestry, both were ‘crackingly’ funny.  

The fulcrum role of this play is Geraldine Granger, the vicar herself, who is rarely offstage and holds the entire cast together. A professional and complete performance from an accomplished actor, with excellent stage presence.  This actor made this part her own and it worked. Well done indeed, superb.

The children portraying Lizzie, Luke and Katie, each gave confident performances and seem to enjoy being dressed as Teletubbies. 

Throughout this production the dialogue was slick and the play ran smoothly at all times due to a workable set and the actors being able to move around with ease. As I stated previously this was well-cast by Samantha Purdue and well directed, with great attention to detail.

Overall, the lighting was good throughout the show, especially when the windows were back lit and the sound was spot on with every word being heard by the audience. The music during scene changes was delightful too.

I noted that the actors had a number of changes of costumes throughout the play which showed the audience the passage of time and seasons between each parish council meeting, adding more reality.  Alices’ wedding dress was a corker, gaudily brilliant with fairy lights, along with her Teletubby attendants.

In conclusion, myself and my husband, along with a delighted audience were treated to a professional production from a very talented company of actors and a competent director.  I left smiling, having laughed until I cried. Well done indeed to everyone involved.

Lyn Burgoyne

Noda Representative (Mid and East Devon)

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