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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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A relative case of suspicion
Suspicious families: Maurice Felton as Seecombe (top left), Jane Williams as Louise, David Hutchins as Philip, and Robert Gotch as James, David Hutchins as Philip (front left) Karen Whittingham as Rachel and Philip Sheffield as Antonio My Cousin Rachel
Dudley Little Theatre, Netherton Arts Centre
**** PHILIP was orphaned at seven and was
brought up by his cousin Ambrose with the pair living a bachelor life,
running a large Cornish estate outside Bodmin. Then Ambrose falls ill and needs to spend winters in warmer climes so off he goes to Florence where he meets and marries another cousin Rachel and i this case they don't all live happily ever after. In fact, he falls gravely sick and writes to
Philip claiming dirty deeds afoot involving Rachel; so Philip hotfoots
it over there to find Ambrose has shuffled off his mortal coil. Thus the scene is set for Daphne Du Maurier’s 19th
century tale of intrigue, mystery and romance on the Barton estate in Du
Maurier’s beloved Cornwall. Throw in enough red herrings to stock a
fishmonger, a bit of sex – much cheered by an enthusiastic audience – Philip Ashley, pockets stuffed with letters from
his now dead cousin Ambrose pointing accusing fingers at his wife,
Rachel, returns from Florence with his sad news to find Ambrose’s widow,
cousin Rachel is already in Cornwall, staying just down the road. Rachel is attractive with the added allure of an
Italian accent, which Karen Whittingham, to her credit, keeps both
convincing and consistent throughout. And Whittingham manages to keep us
guessing from her first appearance as to whether she is a hard-nosed,
scheming, foreign gold-digger or a much maligned grieving widow,
offering us clues and hints in both directions. Philip, at 24 and 11 years her junior, is more of
a serious chap, hardly a barrel of laughs and David Hutchins gives us an
intense young man whose head tells him to be wary of a murderess but his
intellect is outvoted by his heart . . . and bits lower down . . . in a
performance displaying an impetuous young man driven more by passion
than reason. Kendall, Uncle Nick, in the capable hands of
Dudley stalwart Frank Martino, is the very epitome of the wealthy,
kindly guardian, looking after the affairs of a nephew. He has a quiet,
avuncular authority and exudes a quiet confidence that all is well with
his world, which makes it quite a shock for him when he eventually finds
it isn't.
Then there is his daughter, Louise, played
demurely by Jane Williams, a sweet young thing with a somewhat
indeterminate relationship with Philip. Is she merely a friend? Was
there an assumption of something more? Does the arrival of Rachel mean a
love triangle? Or will Louise lose out as Philip’s head be turned by the
appeal of a Latin lover? Again we are left unsure. Fussing around in the background is the butler
Seecombe in a performance which grows on you from Maurice Felton. He
appears rather ineffectual at first but it is a nicely measured
performance introducing some well-timed humour, with a lovely exchange
about place settings with the servant James, played by Robert Gotch and
showing enough to deserve a future larger part. A late entrant is Antonio Rainaldi who appears in
the second act played with an air of Latin flamboyance by Philip
Sheffield. He is supposedly a friend of Rachel’s from Florence but seems
to have the more important dramatic purpose of muddying the waters for
the audience, drawing out more of Rachel’s past, and more importantly,
her thoughts. While the human drama unfolds we have clues
scattered through the plot like currents in a bun. There is the tale of
a spouse poisoned in Italy, and Rachel’s order of highly poisonous
laburnum seeds, supposedly for the sunken garden she is creating. Then there is the tisane she prepared for Ambrose
– he died remember – which she persuades Philip to drink on a daily
basis. Then Philip falls gravely ill – laburnum seeds, tisane, ill, dead
. . . see a pattern forming here? We have Ambrose’s will, Philip’s coming of age
when he should inherit the family pile at 25, the famed Ashley Collar of
pearls loved by Rachel – and the danger of the sunken garden. There is a twist at the end - which is well signposted in the final scene – but that gets a clever second twist to add to the suspense and ensures living happily ever is not an immediate option as we reach the dramatic end. The set team have managed a good, solid period
set which even has an upstairs and full marks to Antonio, or Philip
Sheffield in his day role, who was responsible for some excellent period
costumes for both male and female characters as well as wigs, a
realistic black for Rachel and lovely period ringlets for Louise.. A mention too for prompt Jenny Stanley on the few
occasions she was called upon. She was clear an in quickly which is much
better than whispering so no one can hear, including the unfortunate
actor, and hoping no one will notice If there is a fault it is with pace which is the
piece more than the production. Director Prue Warne has done her best to
keep things moving along - although shorter scene changes on what is a
single set would help the flow plus the pace of a piece always picks up
once the first night is out of the way and a play finds its rhythm . But
Diana Morgan’s adaptation is a tad wordy and ponderous leaving the cast
with a lot of dialogue to learn in 19th century style, not
the easiest task, and one they managed well to create an interesting
drama which develops well and holds its climax right to the final scene.
To 14-03-15 Roger Clarke
11-03-15 |
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