Tom Jones

The Players Theatre is an intimate space, and the Players themselves know exactly how to use it to best advantage.  You don’t have to raise your voice to be heard here, clear enunciation is enough, while the relatively flat acoustic rewards pacey dialogue and natural cadences.  Similarly, there is no call for grand gestures that can be seen from the back of the balcony; modest movements are quite sufficient, and the slightest change in expression is unlikely to be missed by the audience.

The stage is quite compact, but the set design was imaginative and flexible, with its raised platform and multitude of access points.  The principal furnishings – a bed and an imposing desk – had the correct period feel to go with the rough wooden décor.  The costumes were excellent, and I particularly liked the clear contrast between the rough fabrics of the country and the silks and brocades of London.  This was enhanced by the hair and make-up, with the hearty complexions of the country-dwellers set against the pale faces and beauty spots of those in the city, and wigs to match.

Thus the stage was set for our eponymous hero to make his entrance.  This Tom Jones was comfortable with the dual aspects of his role, slipping easily between narrator and protagonist, and his confident portrayal, built around physical presence and largely shorn of unnecessary gestures, retained a certain ambiguity over whether Tom was a villain or a victim.  His amorous approaches were more diffident than demanding, and he was adept at making Tom appear contrite, clasping his hands together and studying the floor.  When Tom finds himself in mortal danger in the third act he was again able to portray his emotions very effectively through his demeanour and expressions.

The opening act was set in Somerset, and practically the entire company was able to locate the accent somewhere in the West Country.  Overlapping scenes were played out by freezing the action and dimming the lights on the relevant part of the set, a technique which worked well.  The second act, set in an Inn at Upton, was more farcical in nature, with quite a lot of coming and going between bedrooms, while the third act brought out the contrasts between town and country life very effectively.

The whole company should be very proud of this production.  The variation between the acts, the detail in the characterisation and the visual appeal of the presentation were all excellent.  Above all, this comedy of manners was appropriately scaled to its intimate surroundings, with movement and gestures kept subtle and the dialogue spoken well.  This was a real ensemble effort and a very enjoyable evening.

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