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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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Boarding
now for first class farce Boeing Boeing
Grange Players
Grange Playhouse, Walsall
****
FRANCE has produced some fine playwrights of weight and comedy –
Molière, Racine, Yasmina Reza and Feydeau, to name but a few. But
its most frequently performed playwright worldwide is Marc Camoletti,
author of Boeing, Boeing,
a farce in a form made popular by Brian Rix,
but with a distinctive Gallic flavour. Although now some forty five
years old from when it first opened in 1960 , and
Set in Paris, and originally
featuring two Frenchmen, the play was recently revived with two American
men in the male roles. For this production, the men are British, whilst
the women retain their national identities. The plot is simple, playboy
Bernard has three fiancés who are air hostesses with different airlines
whose conflicting schedules means that he runs a ménage a quatre,
enabling him to always enjoy one at home, whilst the others are the
other side of the world. His long-suffering French
housekeeper Bertha normally assists him in this arrangement. However the
arrival of old friend Robert complicates matters and provides vital
auxiliary assistance when Bernard’s carefully organised diary begins to
nosedive from 35,000 feet as new faster aircraft shred his meticulous
diary arrangements. Director Christopher Waters’
task in producing this play was complicated by two very late cast
changes. It is to the enormous credit of all involved that the identity
of the late additions was not at all apparent. Jennifer Mears took on
Bertha the housekeeper with a week to go – and is an absolute delight.
Laconic, droll, world-weary, and acerbic, she shuffles whilst the other
girls shimmy, and steals the show whenever she appears. Sarah Carter only had two
weeks longer to get up to speed as Pan Am hostess Gloria. Flamboyant,
brash, man-eating and sassy, her confident performance was a delight.
Representing Lufthansa is Phebe Jackson as Gretchen. As well as being
beautiful, she has presence, enabling her to play the Teutonic
stereotype with ease. The physical jousting with Robert was particularly
pleasing. Third fiancé aboard is Katrina Ann Foster, Air Italia’s
Gabriella, who revelled in her sex kitten role, coquettish, sexy and . .
. Italian. The show opens with theatre e The action itself pivots
around Dexter Whitehead as Bernard, whose smug swagger is soon pricked
by the logistical chaos that envelops him with the unstoppable power of
four Pratt & Whitney engines. I was a little confused by the
programme notes which suggested that the setting was the 1980s, some
joyous period song classics from Sailor reinforce this, while the
uniforms and some of the aircraft references seemed 1960s, not that it
affected proceedings or the audience’s enjoyment. Rod Bisset as Robert is the
perfect foil to Bernard. He enters the production like a lamb, but
leaves like a lion, with a girl to boot! His erstwhile innocence falling
away as he starts to savour city life. The first half of the show is
longer than the manic second, but its two-hour running time never drags.
Waters understands the raw ingredients of farce, and this production
offers pace, slamming doors and scantily clad girls aplenty. It is also
worth noting that despite the late arrivals, not a prompt was heard, or
entrance missed. Sexy without being sleazy, racy without being
particularly bawdy, it is easy to see how this farce has endured, and
this production does full justice to the original spirit and vision of
the show – To 17-01-15. Gary Longden
07-01-15 |
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ran
for seven years in the West End, its mix of sexual comedy and national
stereotypes still resonates long after the rumble of the engines of
Super Caravelles have disappeared into the distance.
mergency
exit procedure helpfully demonstrated by all three girls, who along with
Bertha, retained their accents admirably and consistently. Martin Groves
deserves particular credit for a sumptuous, lavish and convincing flat
interior that inevitably boasted a lot of doors which opened and closed
with increasing frequency as the farce hotted up. The costumes of the
air hostesses including fitted jackets and pencil skirts were equally
pleasing on the eye.