The Vicar of Dibley

This is the second time I have had the pleasure of experiencing the wonderful script put together by Joyce Branagh who has adapted material from several episodes of the popular TV show for the stage with such skill and it proved interesting to compare the two versions of the same script in performance from two different societies. This also highlighted one of the major strengths of amateur theatre; namely the way that every performance on stage, wherever it may be, will bring a different interpretation of something familiar and inevitably confound expectations. If only for this fact alone, live theatre remains one the most vital and interesting cultural expressions we have and not only that, we in Districts 3 and 12 should consider ourselves particularly blessed that we have so many societies who are committed to bringing productions of a consistently high quality to the stage on a regular basis.

The big issue I have with bringing 'The Vicar of Dibley' to the stage (and I stress right at the outset that this is a very personal view which probably sets me apart from the rest of the population!) is that I find a 25 minute episode of the show on TV virtually impossible to sit through: getting on for three hours of Dibley hi-jinx on stage is therefore a bit of a slog... I don't feel the writing is of a quality to lend itself to being stretched beyond its discrete TV length, nor are all (any?!) of the characters interesting enough or so fully established in the popular consciousness to want to spend any great length of time in the company of either. Also, by shepherding several episodes together, there's in an inevitably disjointed feel to the narrative which by its very nature cannot run smoothly given the running time, nor provide a satisfying story arc over the course of the evening: for example, Hugo and Alice's romance and wedding come out of nowhere in Act Two, there having been no sign of any feeling whatsoever between the two characters during the whole of the first Act. Inevitably, a stage version of the show cannot be anything other than a kind of 'greatest hits' compilation rather than a properly thought-through narrative with a beginning, middle and an end.

Many of the characters are distinctly 'one-note' and there is a cruel steak which lies at the heart of the TV show which comes as something of a jolt when it surfaces in a live performance which I find dramatically quite problematic. Nevertheless, these issues are purely personal and bear no relation whatsoever to the overall production - as always, PHTC rose to the challenge admirably and gave a large audience a thoroughly good night out. It was also instructive to see how two treatments of the same script (Joyce Branagh's adaptation having been the one produced at the Todmorden Hippodrome last year) played to the strengths of each individual theatre group. It would be quite nice however to see a play every once in a while which wasn't an adaptation of a TV sit-com...

Leading the cast as the very rock 'n roll reverend, Geraldine, Angela Boult brought a breathless energy to the stage and did a great job of bringing out the best in the character. Angela was very much the 'glue' (if I can put it that way!) holding the whole production together and she did a superb job. Cantankerous old snob David Horton was played with just the right amount of flint and vinegar by Barry Jackson and was particularly good at showing himself to be - usually unintentionally - the butt of the joke whenever he railed against the jolly vicar. David's parish council of well-meaning oddballs was also brought to life by the rest of the cast: recognisable by their comical range of peculiar character tics, they all went down very well with the audience. Jim Trott was superbly played by Damian Marsh who filled the stage with a wonderful characterisation, stealing many a scene with the power of his performance. Similarly, Owen Newitt was played with earthy charm by Ken Horsfield (whose famous crystal-clear diction was very much in evidence again) and was another firm favourite with the audience. Frank Pickle's very individual way with taking the meetings' minutes was a particular highlight for me and Orme Green made a lovely job of the character. Andrea Jackson brought a real sparkle - and a range of quite fabulous hats! - to Mrs Cropley: I particularly enjoyed the way Andrea made Mrs Cropley into very much a flesh and blood character rather than merely a two-dimensional 'additional presence' on stage.

It is when we turn to the remaining brace of performances that a really special mention needs to be made: Hugo and Alice (whose impending nuptials dominate Act Two) were played with great skill by Josh Hindle and Georgina Smith. There are two ways to go when presenting characters from a familiar TV show on stage; attempt an 'impersonation' of the TV persona, or go your own way and add your own stamp to the character. Josh and Georgina between them managed to get the best of both worlds and created two standout characters in Hugo and Alice. Georgina's Alice was a masterpiece of mimicry: virtually indistinguishable from the TV original, this was an amazing piece of work. Georgina had Alice's voice to perfection and combined with the body language (and the wig!) gave the best performance of the night for me. Josh's Hugo was as ditheringly comical as his TV counterpart but Josh added a more charming and human touch to the role which made the character much more appealing than the rather one-note character on television. Together, they made for a wonderful pairing on stage and their wedding was a fitting climax to the evening.

Technically, the Hippodrome crew excelled with a superb set which was multifunctional and made for quick and easy scene changes; lighting and sound were on top form too and there were some very nifty costumes on display too - many congratulations to the tech team, wardrobe and stage crew. The stage was used imaginatively throughout and with the choir making regular appearances to give a tongue in cheek flavour of the ecclesiastical, the auditorium was used too. Tireless - and super talented - tickler of the ivories, Joe Winkley, was on duty as church organist for the evening which added a little extra touch of class to the production and smaller roles were given the customary Hippodrome polish from a set of talented performers whom audiences locally have come to know and love. Director Fiona Thompson stated in the programme that this was her first time directing a play: that being the case, she has certainly hit the ground running and should be proud of what was a confident and intelligent debut.

This was an assured and gently humorous production which, despite the uncomfortably jarring notes which were occasionally thrown up from the script and characters, made for a pleasant evening's entertainment. The large audience were thoroughly entertained and once again, I salute all involved at the Hippodrome for providing a great night out. The Hippodrome's on-going commitment to providing the very best in theatrical entertainment and the tremendous amount of hard work that goes in to maintaining and running this fine old theatre has recently been recognised with the very prestigious Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. A superb achievement which recognises the tremendous amount of hard work which everyone at the Hippodrome puts in to making this cultural centre such an important part of the local landscape. My thanks as always go to everyone for making myself and Stuart so very welcome and I look forward to my next visit with eager anticipation.

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