Where There's A Will.........

As the curtains opened we were presented with a beautiful set, extremely well made and with plenty of nice pieces dressing it.  As the play moved on, though, it became clear from the dialogue that the set should have had a more ‘distressed’ appearance.    However that is being picky and we settled down to enjoy a very funny, murder-filled, performance.

Barbara Harrold, playing Velma Newton, had a lot of dialogue which she delivered in a faultless northern accent.  Having seen Barbara previously play another character with an accent I was beginning to wonder if it was how she normally spoke!   I don’t think it is, but she maintained it without fault, even when she had a few difficulties with her lines.  She was ably supported by James Hughes, playing Fordyce Newton her stepson.  His performance was faultless, as was his accent.

Linda Raymond, playing the housekeeper Genista Royal, also directed the play in association with her son Andrew.  Not an easy task to combine the two but, a small hiccough with her dialogue apart, she gave a convincing and well-paced performance.

Glenys Young gave a properly brash performance as another sponging relative, Bella Moore, with Rebecca Smith as her scheming daughter Donna.   Adam Hughes gave a strong performance as Donna’s male stripper boyfriend Troy Jarvis.  Charley Magee (Miriam Holt) Martin Herford (Rev Arthury Peasgood) Tracy Foster (Cissy Cunningham) and Rhys Burrell (Taxi Driver) completed the cast, all of whom produced good characterisations.

This was the second of 3 performances and, if I have a criticism, it would be that it seemed a little under rehearsed, especially when dialogue was forgotten and prompts had to be given.  However the play developed a good pace during the first half.   The denouement seemed a little rushed but that is probably the way it was written.  I have not seen this play, or anything by the author, before.   It was well written and gave the Directors and cast plenty of scope for comedy, which was clearly appreciated by the audience.

I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and look forward to seeing more of the Blackmore Players.

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