Jessica Schneider as Alice and and Tori
Wakeman as Geraldine
The Vicar of Dibley
The Nonentities
The Rose Theatre, Kidderminster
****
It doesn’t seem like The Vicar of Dibley
left our screens way back in 2007, but it’s a fact. The first series
began in 1994, and delivered 31 episodes in total, becoming one of the
most successful and loved comedy series for the writers Richard Curtis
and Paul Mayhew-Archer and its lead star, Dawn French.
Set in the fictitious quiet typical country
village of Dibley, it chartered the comic arrival of the first female
vicar, a Miss Geraldine Granger, to be seen by the locals. The Vicars
forward thinking vision creates something of stir and the subsequent
issues in dealing with her arrival and in turn her dealing with all of
their unique personalities, was at the heart of each of the episodes.
Like so many other sitcoms and comedies of the
time, it has made its way onto the stage and they have become a firm
favourite for amateur companies to produce, often guaranteeing good
attendance due to their popularity.
This is the second time the Nonentities have
staged an episode to great acclaim and for this current production, and
being so close to Christmas, they have chosen “A Wholly Holy Happy
Ending", which was first broadcast by the BBC in 2006.
The inhabitants of Dibley are getting ready to
plan the villages Christmas festivities and whilst the chaos of that
ensues the Vicar finds love in a new handsome arrival to the area.
The central role, and quite an undertaking of the
Vicar, was brilliantly taken on by Tori Wakeman. Not only did she do a
first class job as the rock of the production, but proved she has a fine
voice too closing the show with an upbeat musical number in which all
the cast joined in with.
The format of Dibley provides for a wide range of
dotty and madcap characters. Closest to the Vicar is Alice played by
Jessica Schneider. Alice’s unique personality was captured to full
effect and both she and the vicar created some very funny moments.
Martin Salter played Owen, a character who
probably would not get by in today’s `politically correct, cancel
culture’ as he’s the one with his own breed of point blank, yet innocent
toilet humour. The odd Jim Trott was played by Richard Taylor and who
with very good timing got some of the biggest laughs. Bob Graham was
David Horton the father-in-law of the dotty Alice and amusingly has a
plan to improve the image of Herod. Alan Parsons was delightful as Frank
Pickle as was Chris Kay as Hugo Horton.
Tom Rees played a very supportive role as the new
village arrival Harry Kennedy and there was additional cast support from
Stuart Wishart , Beth Grainger , Beth Dalton and Jennifer Groome all
adding their performances to this chaotic, crazy Christmas story.
The production featured some very complex scene
changes and the Nonentities team mastered all of this with great ease.
There was even a finely painted archway which I feel duty bound to
mention. After a full season of so many excellent plays and hopefully
the spectre of Covid lockdowns and lockouts well behind us, it was great
to see the theatre full and both them and the cast enjoying this highly
entertaining show. There is no better start to the Christmas season than
this, so go see it. To 03-12-22
By Jeff Grant
28-11-22
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