Tons of money

There is now becoming an expectation that a Thespians set will be a pleasure to behold and we were not to be disappointed. Yet again the audience broke into rapturous applause as the curtains opened and the detailed drawing room of the Allington’s home was revealed. Tons of Money the first of the Aldwych farces written originally by Evans and Valentine (now adapted by Alan Ayckbourn for the National Theatre) carries the whit and feel of the 1920’s but now the idiosyncrasies only meaningful to the original audience have been removed or developed for a more modern audience. Aubrey and Louise entered with their noses in the air portraying the upper crust owners of this beautiful home. The scenes bobbed along but there was an episodic feel that could have been the adaptation or the style of direction which made the plot difficult to follow at times. The swift pace of the dialogue was on the whole supportive of the style but lost in mumbles periodically which again lost the flow. The laying out of the class system in a piece like this can be difficult but the stuffy Mr Chesterman became the strongest player in the pack as the rest intermingled in trying to bring the story across. Costumes were all appropriate as was hair and make-up for the ladies and gentlemen. A pleasurable evening’s entertainment with an appreciative audience what more could a company wish for on a crisp March evening.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.