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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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An endorsment in harmony
A cast of Nonentities playing the cast of Pendon Amateur Light Operatic Society.who are producing The Beggar's Opera. Chorus of Disapproval
The Nonentities,
The Rose Theatre, Kidderminster
**** DRAMATISTS love to take the mickey out of
amateur dramatic societies with plays within plays! Amateur societies
enjoy taking the mick out of themselves! Alan Ayckbourn’s
Chorus of Disapproval
provides ample opportunity to do both at The Rose Theatre this week. We are presented with an amateur light-operatic
society rehearsing for John Gay’s Beggar’s Opera. The company is
joined by Guy Jones, a young widower from Leeds who seems bemused,
innocent and devoid of confidence; he is welcomed by Dafyyd, the
domineering Welshman who is directing the show and who initially casts
him in some insignificant role with a single line in Act Two. He is however immediately the focus of attention
for the women in the company who are excited by a new and single man
among them; the sex-starved wife of the director and the liberal and
permissive Fay become immediate rivals for his favours, but the other
ladies don’t wish to be ignored by him either. As other male performers drop out or fail, Guy is
promoted to play ever larger roles in the production until eventually he
is playing Macheath, the lead. Allowing himself to be manipulated by the
more sophisticated women players, he ends up offending everyone
including the director: he is resented as a ‘right bastard’ by just
about everybody. The scenes are punctuated by songs from the B The exaggerated characterisations bring lots of
humour: Dafyyd is a huge character with his Welsh passions and rugby
imagery; Jarvis Huntley-Pike whose family own land that various parties
wish to acquire and who loves the Vanishing Sounds of Britain,
Bridget, the spikey Stage Manager and daughter of the local pub
landlord, the sexually voracious Fay Hubbard, all contribute to a
colourful and entertaining cast of hilarious characters. Chris Clarke as Dafyyd ap Llewellyn the director of PALOS, boyo Stephen Downing’s production was wonderfully
received by a supportive and loyal audience and was performed with great
energy and a considerable amount of skill by a strong cast. The casting
was governed less by age appropriateness than skill-sets: this resulted
in strong performances by all, especially the lead characters. At times the strong accents or the demands of the
singing meant we could not hear every word but this was infrequently an
issue. Chris Clarke’s Welsh accent was thoroughly
convincing and humorous as Dafyyd. His energy, skill and variety as a
performer help to maintain pace and humour. Joe Harper, as Guy, is very
convincing in his portrayal of the diffident newcomer with the initially
shaky voice, who rather naively allows himself to be led into a web of
complex social complications by the subtle wiles of the ladies. The conniving and sexually suggestive women are
well played by Tori Wakeman and Karen Whittingham, amongst others.
Bob Graham’s eccentric Jarvis and the other young men perform with
considerable skill. The singing is carried off well too: Tori
Wakeman’s voice is exceptional but the rest of the cast hold their own
and Joe Harper manages the development of his singing from off-key to
strong delivery in the latter part of the play very well. The games with the lighting and the technical
effects are similarly well-managed, the scene changes were effected with
slick efficiency and will doubtless get even slicker as the week
progresses. The design for the set was simple and effective. Ayckbourn’s depiction of a somewhat decadent,
clumsy but very human culture epitomised by the Am-Dram scene is
sympathetic, clever and humorous. The Nonentities do a very successful
job of bringing the play to life; there was a full audience who
thoroughly enjoyed the performance; the company look set for a very
enjoyable and successful week. To 06-12-14 Tim Crow
01-12-14 |
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eggar’s
Opera which end up having a double meaning: they have significance
in the interactions of the cast as well as the story of the opera.