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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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Jane Lush (Fiona), Andy Howie (William), and Nigel Hales (Frank) How the Other Half Loves Swan Theatre, Worcester **** “Close your eyes, open your mouth and
prepare yourself for a big surprise”, in the shape of How the Other Half
Loves at Worcester Swan Theatre this week, for a night to remember
packed full of uncomfortable lies and a lot of dashing around. Directed by Jason
Moseley, the Swan Theatre Amateur Company ‘STAC’ bring two households to
the stage, overlapping living rooms and tales of deceit,
forgotten
anniversaries and faces covered in prune juice to get to the bottom of a
sordid fling with a few innocent bystanders thrown in for a good measure
of sherry. Nigel Hales as Frank Foster, is a distinguished
gentleman with a romantic side for gushy platitudes while his dutiful
wife Fiona Foster, Jane Lush, is forever shaking her head when Frank
can’t find his clean shirts on the third shelf of his wardrobe or is
busy having to replenish his bathroom stationery. The least said about
Woking, the better. Gemma Matthews as Teresa Phillips, enjoys her
debut with ‘STAC’, but struggling to deal with rambunctious husband Bob,
Carl Paskin, as he walks around half naked demanding cups of tea and a
breakfast that isn’t a peanut butter sandwich. As all the action happens seamlessly all at the
same time amidst numerous mistimed phone calls, there are still
unexplained absences and late night shenanigans to be blamed on the
marital misdemeanours by the unlikely Featherstones, William and Mary. The shy, socially awkward Mary Featherstone is
played by the talented Sue Hawkins, who I saw in April 2018 as Virginia
Woolf in Vita and Virginia, and although demurely polite, husband
William, Andy Howie, attempts to ingratiate her with his colleagues at
not just one but two equally disastrous dinner parties offering air
freshener soup and a bowl of avocado as a tonic to collapsing chairs,
heated disagreements and spontaneous song. As well as copious amounts of laughter, audience
members can also take home some insightful parenting tips in how to keep
a child amused and all you really need is a bra and a couple of tennis
balls. Catch this hilarious rendition of Alan
Ayckbourn’s How the Other Half Loves at Worcester Swan Theatre until
Saturday February 25th, with tickets costing £13 - £15. For more
information visit Worcester
Theatres or call the Box Office on 01905 611427. Emma Trimble 22-02-23 |
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