The Vicar of Dibley Revisited

This play was an adaptation of the TV episodes from the much loved TV programme by Richard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer. It was in three acts featuring Autumn, Winter and Spring all well known and fondly remembered. Although I think the play was slightly spicier than the original it was greatly enjoyed by the very appreciative audience including myself. Well done to Director Judith M Morris who did an excellent job considering the space available for all the movement and comedy business necessary.

In the Autumn we met the Vicar Geraldine Grainger (Louise Blackburn) who looked the part and played it enthusiastically especially when meeting her amour Simon (James Creegan). Interruptions to their tryst were many and varied.

Alice Tinker (Hannah Jones) and Hugo Horton (Colin Reed) had the perfect amount of naivety

As it was early in her tenure we also on the split stage met the Parish Council who all played their parts convincingly like their TV counterparts, the voices and looks were really spot on and kept up throughout the whole play.

David Horton (Ian Taylor) as Chairman of the PCC, bossy and not sure that a lady vicar was a good idea.

Frank Pickle (Trevor Gibson) the pedantic taker of meeting minutes.

Owen Newitt (John Fisher)  the rather crude farmer in wellingtons

Jim Trott (Martin Walker) no no no yes. Yes!

The second act was the Christmas Nativity episode which everyone remembers. The PCC decided to stage the Nativity but unfortunately for Geraldine she was only left with the members of the PCC to play all the parts. The birth of the baby girl in the stable was staged well given the  space available and the audience enjoyed watching the crew setting it up. David playing Herod even elicited boos from the audience and Jim Trott in a tennis outfit and playing a King (Billie Jean)having fun with the audience with his skirt.

The third act was Spring when it was the christening of the new baby. We then met the Bishop (James Creegan now portraying a totally different character than his earlier appearance) . His shouting of occasional words and visit of the Child Care Officer (Noreen Armitage) when Geraldine was making such a mess of babysitting brought more laughter from the audience.

Well done to the Stage Crew, Wardrobe and Technical Crew needed to make a good show.

The whole evening was very entertaining. I particularly noted the music dividing the various parts of each act was appropriate to what we had just watched.

Congratulations to all concerned.

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