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Stars explained: * A production of no real merit
with failings in all areas. ** A production showing evidence of not
enough time or effort, or even talent, and which never breathes any real
life into the piece – or a show lumbered with a terrible script. *** A
good enjoyable show which might have some small flaws but has largely
achieved what it set out to do.**** An excellent show which shows a
great deal of work and stage craft with no noticeable or major
flaws.***** A four star show which has found that extra bit of magic
which lifts theatre to another plane. |
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Spirit Level
Circle Players
Aldridge Youth Theatre
*** PAM Valentine’s play introduces us to
Susie (Carol Grice) and Jack Cameron (Clive Barlow) casually chatting in
the lounge of their country cottage when estate agent Mark Webster (John
Richardson) lets himself in. It soon becomes clear that Susie and Jack are not
as normal as they first seem. In fact Jack, a successful author
and his designer clothing clad wife Susie, had drowned in a boat
accident in Italy. Having been turned away from the pearly gates
because of Jack’s self-professed atheism; they are now haunting their
previous home in a bid to scare away any would be residents. The story unfolds as budding author Simon Willis
(Lee Tregellis) and his pregnant wife Felicity (Sophie Rowe) take on the
lease and move in. With the help of Susie’s officious Guardian Angel Mrs
Gravestock (Liz Bennett) the Camerons set about helping the struggling
couple settle in. Tregellis and Barlow give good performances but
the show stealer was Margaret Jeffcoat as Felicity’s mother Marcia
Bradshaw. A harridan otherwise known as the Beast of Bradshaw! Jeffcoat
gives a very convincing and memorable performance, providing us with the
only real laugh out loud moment when ‘under the influence of the
spirits’ she romps around on the sofa! In the programme, Anne
Troman (Director), explains that she was faced with a need to change the
originally planned production and after a weekend of searching stumbled
across Spirit Level. On the surface, this play looks like a perfect
choice with a decent funny script, one stage setting and a small cast.
Sadly though, The Circle Players didn’t quite manage to deliver. It is
not clear if the rehearsal time was affected by the change of play but
it did feel somewhat tentative. Some of the actors were not very adept
at ‘not seeing’ the ghosts and this made some of the action rather
unbelievable. Some hesitant delivery of lines, lack of pace in
parts and timing issues hindered the performance. This play has the
potential to achieve lots of good hearty laughter but that was not
realised, and the audience responded with only a smattering of polite
laughter. That being said, some of this may have been due
to opening night nerves and gremlins. If they pick up the pace and
become more confident throughout the run, the Circle Players could very
well achieve a thoroughly entertaining performance. So, don’t be put
off, give them your support, it’s always easier for actors to deliver to
a larger, responsive audience. The company have obviously worked hard to
bring this production to the stage, all it needs now is a little more
‘spirit’. To 18-02-17 Rosemary Manjunath and Elizabeth Smith 15-02-17 |
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