Katy Ball as Cookie, Jenny Groome as Claire,
Jessica Schneider as Chris, Joe Harper as Ernest and Stuart Wishart
as Len
Rumours
The Nonentities
The Rose Theatre, Kidderminster
***
It’s highly likely that at some time you
will have seen a work by Neil Simon, even if you have not heard of him.
Widely considered as one of the most prolific and respected playwrights
of the 20th century, plays such as The Odd Couple, Barefoot in the
Park, and Lost in Yonkers, resulted in him winning
numerous awards including four Tony Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for
Drama, and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humour.
Simon is well known for his witty dialogue and
revealing portrayals of modern life, yet despite its often humorous
nature, the works also offer an insightful, if at times unrealistic
commentary, on relationships and the challenges we face in navigating
them. Many of his characters are drawn in their attempts to cover up
their mistakes and the consequences of them. It's Simon’s way of
highlighting the evolving complexity of us trying to save face and avoid
embarrassment.
Rumours is great example; it’s a chaotic
but well-crafted play that revolves around a dinner party hosted by a
wealthy couple, but one obviously where things go hilariously awry. The
hosts are missing, and the guests are left to cover up the situation,
all leading to a series of incredulous misunderstandings and comedic
mishaps.
The story begins with the imminent Dinner Party
and the host Charles, someone we never get see, has inexplicably shot
himself in the ear. Guests Chris and Ken, played brilliantly by Jessica
Schneider and Richard Taylor have arrived and made the gruesome
discovery. As other guests arrive and in an attempt to save face for
poor old Chris, they elaborate on the reasons for his absence.
Beth Grainger as Cassie, and Christian Davies as Glenn
First to enter the fray is Len and Claire played
by Jennifer Groome and Stuart Wishart. Claire is the absent hostess's
friend determined to get to the bottom of things while Mr Wishart added
great physicality and comic timing to his role having to become more
animated to the chaos as it unfolds around him.
Whilst some of the gags and jokes are now maybe
a little dated, it was the energy of the performances that push the
humour further. Joseph Harper as Ernest the therapist was a prime
example of this. His relaxed demeanour eventually erupts into manic
shouting much to the amusement of the some of the rest of the cast who
were on the verge at corpseing over his intensity. Katy Ball as Cookie
the Cook with Back issues, Beth Grainger as the glamorous Cassie, and
Christian Davies as Glenn, all provide excellent support in their
respective roles.
By the second act everyone is up to speed on the
demise of their Dinner hosts, but then the police arrive in the form of
Chris Kay as P.C Conklin, and Donna Abram as his sidekick. Whilst in the
first act the guests are keeping the facts from each other, the ensemble
are now in it together and are collectively keeping it from the police
and their attempts to cover up the situation ramps the chaos to new
levels.
Although the play is a wild exaggeration of a
situation devoid of any sensibility, it’s a great escape featuring the
type of humour that made Fawlty Towers such a success. The production
calls upon a large cast from the team who fully capture the spirit of
Neil Simon's witty and complex play. Under
the direction of Tori Wakeman, The Nonentities have delivered a
fantastic production of this fast paced comedy.
You may groan at some of the obvious gags, but
with its well-timed action, clever dialogue, and the sheer hard work of
this talented company you will be fully entertained. To 13-05-23.
Jeff Grant
08-05-23
The
Nonentities
|
