Two Into One

At the Westminster Hotel doors open and close with regularity as Richard Willey (a Tory Minister in the Home Office) and his wife Pamela plan adulterous afternoons independently of each other. Both assisted in different ways by George Pigden, a civil servant who still lives with his mother, this hilarious farce written by Ray Cooney had the audience laughing from start to finish. For all nothing goes to plan and confusion and lies are a plenty. The play is set in the early 1980s but is equally as relevant today as when it was written.

Firstly I must say how impressed I was with the set design and décor to make up the hotel reception, the lift, the hotel suites of 648 and 650 together (and independently of each other), with both including bathrooms, lounges and bedrooms. Especially as the stage here is very compact. The creativity of moveable bathroom units hiding extra doorways to create other rooms was ingenious. The size of the set did mean longer scene changes but Shirley Gladwin as a variety of hotel guests checking in and making complaints about a knob that just came off in her hand and asking for a nice maintenance man to be sent to her room immediately, just added to the overall fun of the evening.

The pace of this production was fast and furious with all performers up to speed with dialogue, responses and plenty of perfectly timed ‘door action’. Bravo to the cast as there was more than just a little bit of flesh on display. In true farcical style it was trousers down, negligees on and plenty of towel wearing, thank goodness it was such a warm evening! I must say that the audience loved it with plenty of giggles and laugh out loud moments along the way.

The casting for this production by Director Lisa Kane was excellent with each performer playing to their strengths. A special well done to Clare Mason as this was her first performance with the Society playing Jennifer Bristow one of the secretaries at No 10, who at one point gets hidden in the room service trolley only then to get stuck. In a number of farcical moments she is then wheeled on and off stage whist her husband Edward (played by Neal Newbrook) runs around in his boxer shorts complete with ski accident injury preparing to be in a film! Did I mention that the play is set against the backdrop of a parliamentary bill around vice and pornography?

There were some lovely performances from Richard Astle as the apologetic hotel manager, Kathy McEngtagart as the inquisitive Labour MP Lily Chatterton, Andrew Reed as the oriental waiter, Lily Mason as the French maid Maria and Emily Walker as the hotel receptionist.

The main three in this production played by husband and wife team (Rob and Cath Fisher) and Alex Edwards worked extremely well together. The fast paced delivery of lines, special looks and straight faces during comical moments really held this production together.

A most enjoyable evening of entertainment.

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