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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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Three into one is not plane sailing
Menage a . . . lots: Karen Whittingham as Gabriella in rehearsal with Stefan Austin as Bernard, Jenny Luke as Gloria, Richard Taylor as Robert and Louise Fulwell as Gretchen Boeing Boeing The Nonentities Rose Theatre, Kidderminster ***** THE ideal number of women to have in tow is three, make sure you are engaged to them all to maintain some discipline, and the ideal type to collect is air stewardesses as they are pre-selected by the airlines. Then with skillful use of timetables and schedules it is easy to ensure only one of the thre will be in Paris at any one time. Simple. That at least is the theory of lothario architect
Bernard, played with an easy, man of the world confidence, somewhat
misplaced as it turns out, by Stefan Austin. Bernard seems to have a
girl on each flight. Into his life comes the rather innocent and naïve
country boy Robert, the old school friend he as not seen for almost 12
years. Robert, played in a state of bewilderment, interlaced with manic
panic by Richard Taylor, doesn’t actually have a girl or indeed any
realistic prospects of finding one Bernard’s palatial Paris flat comes complete with
Bertha who is whatever the opposite of sweetness and light happens to
be. Vivienne Cole gives a delightful performance as the cantankerous,
grumpy housekeeper and cook who sees any request for anything as a
subject for negotiation. Then there are the stewardesses. The belles
Bernard is juggling to keep in the air, or at least keep any two from
three away from Paris. First is Gloria, TWA, brash, blonde and American
played by Jenny Luke, then there is Gabriella, Gretchen is supposedly a stewardess with
Lufthansa but it would be no surprise to discover it was really with the
Luftwaffe, perhaps carrying stormtroopers. She is tall, cool, elegant
and, should we say, authoritarian. A trait which appeals to Robert.
While two betrothed stewardesses are scattered
across the globe the third fiancé inhabits Bernard’s bed which is a
comfortable if somewhat precarious arrangement that is until Boeing
introduce faster planes which threaten the timetables and then severe
storms disrupt flights and all three find themselves in Paris and
Bernard’s timetable suffers the romantic equivalent of leaves on the
lines, wrong sort of snow and a bovine incursion all at the same time. The choice is simple; either Bernard will become
a crime statistic, when his bits are finally identified of course, or, a
collection of unlikely random events will come together to create a
solution and a happy(ish) ending. To find out which you will need
to buy a ticket. Farce might be lightweight theatre, more daft
than drama, but it is one of the most difficult forms to pull off
successfully and Marc Camoletti’s 1962 comedy is no exception. Farce
depends above all on timing from the witty asides and caustic remarks to
the exits and entrances which have to be timed to the split second if
they are to work. Enter too soon and a scene and even the whole
plot can be killed stone dead, come in too late and the impact is lost
and this excellent cast never seemed to put a shapely foot wrong – the
three stewardesses being the ones who had to enter and leave with the
precision of air traffic control on a bank holiday weekend. Director Stephen Downing has instilled a cracking
pace which is another necessity of farce where you cannot afford to
leave an audience with idle minds to analyse the plot too closely, he
also manages to use the entire stage including front of curtain on the
stage apron which all adds to the effect – and gives Robert somewhere to
hide in the corner when the flak flies. A mention too for stage manager Keith Higgins and
assistant stage manager Mike Lawrence who built the excellent black and
white, minimalist set with a real 1960’s feel while Sue Downing did a
fine job with the wardrobe of colourful air stewardesses.
With a believable cast on top form, good pace and
a nice rhythm it is a production which is a sheer pleasure to watch. To
01-02-14. Roger Clarke |
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Alitalia, dark, sultry, passionate and Italian and finally there is
Gretchen.