There Goes the Bride

It’s the day of Judy Westerby’s wedding and things are not going at all smoothly. The wedding dress needs emergency repairs, Grandad can’t find his socks, Grandma is having trouble with her ‘corset’ and the bride’s father is more concerned with finding a new campaign for a bra agency than he is with anything to do with the wedding. An unfortunate knock on the head is caused when he falls over the large advertising board of a 1920’s flapper and his idea, literally, comes to life and we meet Polly Perkins. The thing is though that only Timothy, the father, can see her! This of course leads to innumerable farcical, comedic situations. Derrick Hulett plays Timothy Westerby, the father, with great energy and enthusiasm, at one point even throwing himself out of a window into the garden. He has great comic timing and his many antics were hilarious. His wife, Ursula, was strongly played by Louise Sutton. She has natural stage presence showing to great effect her versatility, by being a loving mother to a frantic wife all whilst trying to keep everybody as sane as possible. Ken Radmore’s portrayal of Dr. Gerald Grimmond was just perfect. His natural ability for comic timing and the ‘laid back’ way in which he spoke the lines suited the role of the hilariously forgetful, retired physician superbly. Ruth Bonner was splendid in the role of the much-too-serious Doctor’s wife, as was Istvan Koszegi as Bill Shorter, a family friend. His acting, facial expressions and delivery of his many one-liners was impeccable. Tracy Crowther gave an endearingly bubbly performance as Polly Perkins, the flapper, and Chanel Maxfield was delightful as the daughter about to be married. Completing the line-up was Garry Johnson who was great as Charles Babock, the father of the bridegroom. He had a good Australian accent and after having come all the way from there to find no hotel room had made him been booked for him, he was rather annoyed to say the least and totally bemused by the ‘goings-on’.  A lovely set, good props and costumes all added to make this a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Congratulations to director Janet Koszegi and to the whole team.

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