Time of My Life

This play, one of the author’s most popular from the 1990s, centred around the Stratton family as Laura and Gerry gathered for dinner at their favourite restaurant with their sons, Glyn and Adam, and respective partners, to celebrate Laura’s birthday.

The restaurant was of an indeterminate Mediterranean origin, and all the staff seemed to be very familiar with the family!

The action took place on a central area in a side room of the restaurant and was set on a raised platform surrounded by railings, reminiscent of a boxing-ring at a championship “prize-fight” and was certainly reflective of the sparring that was to come!

As the evening unfolded the dynamics of the family were exposed, and “skeletons in the cupboard” revealed! All the characters played their roles convincingly and highlighted from the outset the many undercurrents occurring below the surface!

Much to Gerry’s consternation during the evening Laura confessed to a fifteen minute “fling” with his brother back in 1974! Eldest son Glyn constantly looking for his mother’s approval slipped back into his pattern of extra marital affairs, while youngest son Adam bumbled along with his “airy-fairy” schemes, always the blue-eyed boy.

Laura was shown from the outset to be controlling and critical, totally disapproving of Glyn’s choice of wife and decidedly unimpressed with Adam’s choice of girlfriend who was just a “hairdresser” – she could hardly bring herself to spit out the word! This role was played superbly and the expressions and delivery of the performer faultless.

 Businessman Gerry was also excellently portrayed, seemingly content with the status quo, he was congenial and welcoming to the “girls”, but there were hints that he could be covering up some serious financial problems within the Company.

As the evening deteriorated Laura and Gerry were left alone to sink their sorrows and clever use was made of the downstage left and right areas to give insights into the future, and the past.

Glyn and his wife took the audience forward in time revealing that Gerry had unfortunately met his demise driving home on the night of the party. Glyn was robustly played, outwardly confident, bumptious, and brash, he certainly got his comeuppance in the end, losing his position in the Company and both his wife and girlfriend. Stephanie achieved a startling transformation from acquiescent wife, quietly supportive and forbearing of her philandering spouse, to a confident and poised woman, gleefully leaving him behind in her wake!

Adam and Maureen took the action into the past tracing their relationship back to their first meeting at the same restaurant and a case of very mistaken identity! Adam made an endearing “mummy’s boy” of the piece but also showed that he was rather boring and lack lustre, while Maureen was feisty and up-front, obviously opposites do attract, both played their roles well.

Hovering around all this action one member of the cast took on every role of the restaurant staff. From Head Waiter to Restaurant Owner down to all the lowly waiters with a multitude of costume changes, he was just delightful and almost stole the show!

Lighting, sound, and suitable costumes, picking up the red and black theme of the well-designed set, complemented the action, and the scene changes were smoothly executed - perhaps the stage crew in costume would have worked in this piece particularly for the last lengthy change when resetting the main table. However together all made for a cleverly crafted and skilfully directed production. A most enjoyable evening – very well done.

 

 

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