|
|
|
|
|
|
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. |
|
|
Thoughts from a small island
Neville’s Island
Sutton Arts Theatre
**** NEVILLE’S
Island from 1992 was
the first play penned by Tim Firth and was originally commissioned by
Alan Ayckbourn . Firth, a contemporary
of Nick Hancock and David Badiel, later found fame with
Calendar Girls,
but here the script has a 90’s tint to it. The four handed, all-male cast, finds itself
stranded, in somewhat contrived circumstances, on a Lake District island
after a corporate team bonding expedition goes wrong, working its way
through comedy , horror, satire and psychological thriller. John Islip and his stage team will be delighted
to have won the first round of applause of the night as the lights went
up on a carefully crafted, tree covered, single set. A forest of conifers were denied their Christmas
date with destiny , and silver birches swayed, lending a physical
verisimilitude, augmented by some particularly effective camouflage
nets. The play’s title
alludes to Devils Island, but in truth there is little threatening about
their surroundings nor is there the menace which laced the film
Deliverance,
which explored similar themes, some twenty years earlier. The advantage of the
small single island set
Three of the actors are on stage for the whole of
the production, only one disappearing briefly, making this quite a
demanding show for the players. Rod Bisset does well with the awkward
part of Neville whose job it is to try to keep everybody calm as team
leader. Ben Field has the most interesting part as Roy , a Christian and
ornithologist, dealing with the after effects of a nervous breakdown
after losing his mother, combining pathos with comedy in hugely
demanding circumstances. The irritant in the team is Dan Goodreid who is
first-rate as Gordon: he presents us with the archetypal party-pooper
who, having neither a domestic life nor identity of his own, achieves
fulfilment by destroying other people’s. Office geek Angus, played by Phillip Beadsmore,
writhes likably as the uxorious Angus, plagued by fears of an errant
wife whilst carrying equipment consistent with an assault on Everest
rather than a Lake District weekend away. But this is an ensemble piece and every actor
works hard to produce a team production rather than grandstanding their
own comic cameos. Act One is a fairly light–hearted and frothy
affair, as the men become accustomed to their new surroundings, but the
second Act veers into darker territory as adversity fails to bring the
best out of them. The plot can be a little clunky. It is difficult
to be cut off from the rest of the world in the Lake District, and the
one dead mobile phone, and waters around their island supposedly
infested with deadly pike, require a certain amount of suspension of
disbelief. Director Joanne Ellis
squeezes the most out of the comedy with the fate of their only sausage
at prayer the comic highlight of the evening. Generically, the laughs
are of the Men Behaving Badly
variety, but Joanne has left the original script intact save for a few
minor tweaks and the laughs hold out well. A particular mention should go to Ben Field who
had to assume the part of Roy at a few hours notice, following the
original actor’s indisposition. He acquitted himself with considerable
distinction, ably supported by director and cast. An appreciative audience enjoyed an entertaining
show which runs to 09-05-15. Gary Longden
01-05-15 |
|
|
|
is
an innate sense of claustrophobia, the down side is the action is
inevitably confined and static. Currently Bear Grylls is leading a
survival series entitled