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Confusions
Malvern Theatres
**** WRITTEN and
directed by Alan Ayckbourn,
Confusions is
a quintet of one act plays, each of which is vaguely linked to the next.
It helps to mark the 60th anniversary year of the
Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough (SJT) and Ayckbourn’s 55th
directorial year and was originally premiered in 1974 to ‘show off
‘ the versatility of the actors and keep the SJT ‘busy’ . So Ayckbourn and SJT
have revived this classic comedy, set in the 1970s, and are touring it
alongside the author’s 79th, and latest play,
Hero's Welcome.
Although the play as a whole feels a little
dated, the audience chuckled throughout, quietening only for the final
piece. The cast of five actors portray 20 very different
characters, a true reflection of their ability to transform and showcase
their skills as Ayckbourn intended. There is a simple black set which is enhanced by
a clever use of furniture changes for each vignette. These changes are
smoothly carried out by actors and stage crew in costume. They are
actually a delight to watch as one piece of furniture transforms into
another. The first vignette,
Mother Figure,
brings us to the chaotic home of housewife Lucy (Elizabeth Boag) and her
(unseen) brood. The scenario is one that is patently recognisable by any
stay at home mum who is overwhelmed with the pressures of motherhood.
Lucy, who spends her days clad in her nightwear,
her only interaction being with her children, suddenly has to converse
with concerned neighbours Rosemary (Emma Manton) and Terry (Stephen
Billington) Can Lucy engage in adult conversation? We see the hilarious
results as she fails to do so. We are then taken to a
hotel bar for Drinking Companions.
Here we meet Lucy’s stay away husband Harry (Richard Stacey), a salesman
with the gift of the gab, endeavouring to chat up Paula (Emma Manton), a
perfume salesgirl. Her friend Bernice (Elizabeth Boag) arrives and
Harry sees the chance to snare two beautiful young women. The women are
under pressure from Harry as he plies them with alcohol in his quest to
lure them into his bedroom. "It's a lovely room, number 249". Comedy ensues as Harry grows more inebriated and
Stacey achieves a textbook performance of a drunk. But, the star of this
piece was the bar waiter (Stephen Billington) serving the drinks with
aplomb and adding the surprise twist at the end of the scene which
produced much laughter and generous applause from the packed auditorium. Between Mouthfuls
was the third offering on the menu, set in a high class restaurant, with
bickering diners Polly (Manton) Martin (Stacey) Mrs Pearce (Boag) and Mr
Pearce (Russell Dixon) and again, the dear waiter (Billington), who
played the pivotal role in this study of extra marital dalliances,
snobbery, hypocrisy, social mores . . . it was all served up here.
Cleverly directed, the dialogue flowed seamlessly as the plot unfolded. Next, Mrs Pearce takes
us to Gosforth’s Fete
where she is to be the guest speaker. Chaos breaks out due to a faulty
tea urn and a dodgy PA system resulting in rampaging Boy Scouts, a
drunken scoutmaster, a dithering vicar, and some shocking revelations.
This is probably the best piece of the play, full of energy and humour.
Finally there is a
Talk in the Park
which takes place in the same park as the fete. Here the production
changes pace and style. Five strangers, sitting on four park benches
engage in talking to each other whilst conversely ignoring each other.
The humour subsides and it becomes more thought provoking as we are
forced to consider the life problems these strangers have encountered. A gentle play with a lot of laughs and a not so
happy ending. Until 5th March Rosemary Manjunath / Elizabeth Smith 03-03-16
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