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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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Racing along for laughs
Don't Dress for Dinner The Grange Players Grange Playhouse, Walsall **** THIS French farce is performed at such a
hectic pace that some members of the cast are drenched in perspiration,
and that's not all. Cheating husband
Bernard (Dexter Whitehead) has to disappear from the stage several times
for a shirt change after being blasted by a soda siphon and soaked by
glasses of wine, and for good measure has his face vigorously slapped. What lengths amateur actors have to go to for
their art! Marc Camoletti's play makes big demands on the cast of six,
but they cope admirably in a marathon of misunderstanding, marital
treachery, slapstick humour and crackpot cover-ups. At first there even seems to be a danger of
over-acting in the efforts Bernard needs to make trying to convince his
wife that he wasn't planning a little sexual mischief in her absence
when she suddenly changes her mind about leaving him alone for the
weekend while she visits her mother. But eventually the audience manage to keep up to
speed with all the alibis and identity errors, starting with a young
cook from the Bon Appetit catering agency being mistaken for the host's
mistress. The action takes place in the living room of
Bernard and his wife's renovated farmhouse some distance from Paris in
1979, and the attractive set works perfectly. with windows showing the
countryside overlooked by the property. Whitehead is excellent as the cheating husband,
and Rachel Waters plays the wronged wife, Jacqueline - who has a guilty
secret of her own - impressively. A terrific performance, too, from Aimee Hall,
playing the visiting cook Suzette who finds herself innocently drawn
into the web of deceit and gradually turning the powder keg situation
into her financial benefit. There is a brilliant scene when Bernard and
his friend Robert transform her waitress-style costume into a smart
evening dress. A tricky and 'hazardous' move which earns instant
applause. Robert Newton also sparkles as the Bernard's best
pal who turns out to be even more friendly with his friend's wife and
has to pretend to be the lover of Bernard's mistress, Suzanne, well
played by Zoe Maisey. A wonderful end to the play sees the arrival of
Suzette's aggresive husband George (Carl Horton) who, not surprisingly,
misreads the situation and causes yet another spot of mahem. Well directed by Christopher Waters, the play
runs to19.01.13 Paul Marston |
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