The Village Hall

I last saw a show at The Reading Room on 6th March 2020. It was a pantomime, Rapunzel, just before the first Covid lockdown brought all things theatrical to a juddering halt. I cannot express what a pleasure it is to see this group back together, putting on a show, which just happens to be the Northern premiere of 'The Village Hall' by Ashley Burgoyne. Performed in the presence of the author himself, it is only the second public performance of the show anywhere.

The Village Hall is a two-act comedy.  Derek (Jim Wardle) is the slightly prissy Chairman of Upper Kingham Parish Council, determined to win back the coveted "Village Games" crown, which was lost last year, for the first time in a decade, to local rivals, Lower Kingham. Meanwhile, Laura (Ann Wardle) is determined to get her own play produced and starts an Amateur Theatre Group at the Hall.. Between the Village Games and the Theatre Group, the Hall is in constant but harmless use. There are, however, nefarious doings afoot involving one member of the committee, Tyler (Richard Heslop) and his co-conspirator from Lower Kingham, Giuseppe (Bill Clegg), in a lustrous black wig.. Further difficulties arise as Laura’s play includes a love song to be rehearsed by Tyler and Giuseppe’s girlfriend, Daisy (Lorraine White). The song is to end in a clinch which does not sit well with Giuseppe or Tyler’s girlfriend, Tia (Sue Douglas). Meanwhile, local bobby, Tom (Ray Moore), decides to bug the Hall to record the two miscreants (and much more), whilst fending off the amorous advances of Sarah (Liz Lake). I am not quite sure how Marjorie (Brenda Parker) fits into all this but she is there, making the odd cup of tea!

The song, which is an original written by the author, is rehearsed twice by Tyler and Daisy, including that hug at the end, much to the consternation of Giuseppe and Tia. Rather a good song, pity we never hear the finished version. All these disparate threads come to a head during an inter-village darts match which, due to police intervention, is won by the village which never wins the darts. All very satisfactory for Derek!

The actors, most of whom were familiar faces from pre-pandemic times, all played their parts to the hilt, notwithstanding the need of a little help from the prompt on occasion. It all added to the atmosphere which the Society always creates in their own Village Hall, a.k.a. The Reading Room. The patrons were amused throughout and everyone involved, on stage and in the audience, spent a thoroughly enjoyable Saturday afternoon, in the company of friends, rounded off with a finale imported from the pantomime.

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