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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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Voting with their foibles
Chancellor Hector Crammond (Richard Woodward), PM George Venables (Jon Richardson) and PPS Rodney Campbell (Al McCaughey) Pardon me, Prime Minister
Hall Green Little Theatre
**** COMEDIES about politicians is the
theatrical equivalent of shooting fish in a barrel. Indeed, such is
their standing in the world outside Westminster, the best lines of the
night in terms of audience reaction were more hoots of derision than
laughter Such as when the Prime
Minister, George Venables says, with a commendably straight face, “I
give you my word as a politician!” or when Dora –
hotel receptionist, Brighton conference, night
of horizontal campaigning. . . remember minister?
- tells the PM: “You would not be in politics if you could hold down a
proper job!” So a farce where politicians and politics are the
butt of all the jokes with virtually every twist and turn leaving them
squirming and desperately tap-dancing to regain their footing on their
career, means you are on a winner even before the curtain goes up. And when the curtain does indeed rise it reveals
a glorious set designed by Edward James Stokes, a sumptuous, huge, oak
panelled Prime Ministerial office in No 10 filling the entire stage –
and emphasising that this really is farce by a traditional helping of
four doors with its equally traditional promise of scantily dressed
ladies, four of them in fact, including one topless in two volumes, so
to speak. It also reveals Hall Green regular Jon Richardson
as the Prime Minister sat Presidentially at his desk, Union flag behind
him, rehearsing a load of statesmanlike cobblers for a weekly PM TV spot
he is proposing. He has been swept to power as a purity party to
rid the nation of debauchery and that is where his problems start. His
chancellor of the exchequer is Hector Crammond MP, played by another
regular, Richard Woodward. He is a dour, humourless Scot, who believes
in fiscal control, austerity and moderation in all things, and he also
covets the Prime Minister’s job and has backing in the party . . . It’s almost like a documentary except Edward
Taylor and John Graham’s play dates from 1976 heralding the dawn of
Thatcherism, long before the Blair and Brown era. Wo Prime Minister George Venables pleads with his wife Sybil (Stephanie Harris) to take the red dress off . . don't ask! In a splendid performance Richardson’s rather
indecisive PM wants to keep the party faithful happy but at the same
time doesn’t want to lose the electorate by taxing every bit of fun and
enjoyment out of their lives, so is juggling both balls furiously to
tone down the Draconian budget Hector intends to present the next day –
his juggling being helped by medicinal waters of life from the drinks
cabinet behind Mr Gladstone’s portrait. Enter Al McCaughey, on his Hall Green debut, as
Rodney Campbell, the PPS and the PM’s Mr Fixit and gofer, a foundling,
secretly searching for his parents, who tries to guide his boss in the
right direction. While from No 11 we have Miss Frobisher, straight
laced, or so we thought, secretary to the dour, zealot of a chancellor.
Gemma McCaffrey has a wonderful transformation, Hollywood style - all it
needed was romantic music and soft focus - as she lets her hair fall
loose and removes her glasses changing from severe to sexy in an instant
as we discover her secret passion.. Then there is Sybil, played with wonderful
scattyness, by Stephanie Harris, who seems to live in a different No 10
to everyone else and is arranging for everyone to have their blood group
checked and become blood donors. Which brings us to Shirley Springer, played with a lovely matter of factness, by Jennie Almond who is at first mistaken for a reporter but then is revealed as the daughter of Dora Springer, played as a long lost lover turned middle aged mum by Amanda Grant. Before the revelation we discover the PM has a penchant for pursuing young ladies - another no no, along with his whisky and cigars in the puritanical party, and one that is about to come back and bite him in the ballots. Dora, of course, is the aforementioned
receptionist who joined the celebrations on the last night of conference
the Hotel Metropole in Brighton some 22 years ago – by coincidence, that
same age as Shirley, give or take nine months or so. Then we have Rachel Louise Pickard as up market reporter Jane Rotherbrook, daughter of publishing magnate Lord Rotherbrook (a hefty combination of Press barons) who finds herself, dressless, in the midst of scandal after scandal. Not that she is alone in the dressless department with only Dora managing to keep her clothes on. Throw in a red dress which half the cast
seem to wear at some point or another, a floating bra, and startling
revelations of that night in Brighton so long ago, not to mention
damning evidence from blood groups, and it’s the old, old story of
public figures and skeletons in cupboards – and let’s not forget orphan
Rodders and his search for his parents. It is all glorious fun and Tony O’Hagan on his
directing debut has done a fine job in keeping up a cracking pace and
adding some nice touches. He is helped by a superb cast. Farce, and indeed
comedy, depends upon timing. The dialogue was snappy and pauses well
measured and with four doors and endless ins and outs everything needed
to be spot on. Mistime an entrance and either it is a disaster for the
next scene in the script or a shuddering halt in the pace and the nine
strong cast didn’t put a foot wrong all night. You perhaps did not need to be a genius to work
out a plot involving a puritanical budget, a love child and a list of
everyone's blood group - and don't forget Rodders, but what the
heck, its fast, funny and simply glorious entertainment. To 23-05-15 Roger Clarke
18-05-15 |
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odward's
wonderfully self-righteous Crammond wants to ban gambling, booze,
smoking, pornography, strip clubs, sex in all its public forms and any
hint of nudity on stage by taxing them out of existence – the latter
being an unfortunate choice given the amount of flesh about to be
exposed as the evening progresses.