Up Pompeii

Like many popular TV shows in the 60’s and 70’s Up Pompeii owes its origins to the Comedy Playhouse stable which produced many memorable sit-coms and characters. This has not stood the test of time in terms of repeats unlike other genre productions of the period, leaving only people of a certain age with any knowledge of the whole concept. The stage play was created in 1988 at the request of Frankie Howerd, who played the slave and narrator Lurcio in the television series, by Miles Tredinnick one of Howerd’s writers. Howard was offered another project and never performed this play on stage.

From the auditorium emerges Soothsayer Senna, acted with a sense of quirkiness –“woe woe and thrice woe!” by Glynis Smith before the action moves to the stage, which is set in the courtyard of Senator Ludicrous Sextus’s villa in pre-volcano Pompeii. The play with a far from brilliant script deals with the antics and farcical events that ensue as the family members try to satisfy some of their baser urges, relying almost in every scene on innuendo and risqué gags and Lurcio’s asides to the audience, trying to keep them up to date with the chaotic plot.

Paul Bellamy played the audience to the full as ‘Lurcio’ the slave, a part which kept him on stage virtually all evening, reflecting the calm not rushed delivery and manner the character demands, demonstrating extremely well his portrayal of The Prologue” which started each episode on TV, was rarely finished and often had little to do with the story line if in deed there was one

Mistress ‘Ammonia’ (Melanie Brown)  and Master of the house ‘Ludicrus’ (Andy Brown) are discussing Ludicrus’s role in the Senate, then are joined by their Daughter ‘Erotica’  impishly played by Eleanor Davison. It quickly becomes clear that whilst Ammonia is a forceful character, and her simpering Husband, has an alternative reason for sending his Wife and Daughter away whilst he researches a bill he intends to put to the Senate, though needs the help of his trusty servant ‘Lurcio’ to assist him! The research involves a meeting with the local nymphomaniac Suspenda, enthusiastically played by Susan Wyld-Bennett. Events are further complicated by runaway slave ‘Voluptua’, (Sophie Vick) wishing to express her thanks to her saviour Lurcio,

There was also a very good performance from Eleanor Davison as ‘Erotica’. These ladies held nothing back, throwing themselves, in some cases literally, into their aptly titled roles.  Andy Brown gave an energetic performance as ‘Ludicrus Sextus’, leaving the uninitiated in the audience wondering if there had been a costume malfunction at the start of Act 2!.

There were other very good characterisations.Wulstan Nixon as the dithering ‘Nausius’, Keith Barrell as ‘Captain Treacherous’, Steve Carley as the half-witted ‘Kretinus’, and Steve Willis as ‘Corneous’. These were all very capable performances.

Any deviations from the script, and I’m sure there must have been a few, were well covered by the 11-strong, experienced and talented  cast who romped through the script with gusto with moments of clever comic timing, providing an opportunity for each character to shine. The director  too included some snippets of topicality.

This company take great pride in having a skilful and knowledgeable in- house design and build team of set design and construction volunteers. This was used to maximum effect including sound effects for the smouldering Vesuvius that as history tells us erupted with such catastrophic consequences. Walking around Pompeii it is possible to take the mind back in time and imagine. The costumes on the whole looked authentic. 

Ian G Cox Regional Representative - Worcestershire East (District 12)

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