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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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Treatment finds the right cure Prescription for Murder Highbury Theatre
Centre, Sutton Coldfield
INTERESTING. Strident wallpaper, but the
action creeps up on us so quietly. Playwright Norman Robbins is content
to wait while we try to pick up on who intends to do what to whom, and
why. There's the box of
cakes: are they as lethal as we think they may be, and who's going to
see what they taste like? There is the thought that one of the party is
only worth something when dead. There are the books – one of which,
clearly a Reader's Digest Condensed
Book, finds itself proclaimed as a
first edition and, like the rest, practically priceless. The books are the pride and joy of the irascible
doctor, said to have a heart of gold to go with his gruff exterior. He
is played by Vaughan Tolley – not entirely with certainty on the first
night, but with lots of vigour and bluster in the face of accusations
that find him compared to the late Dr Shipman. As his wife, Sue Lynch comes efficiently to a
role that finds her registering a nice line in pop-eyed disbelief at the
end of the first act, and Dee White is effortlessly reliable as Julia,
the friend with the rather superior air.
Richard Cogzell scores as Eric, the mysterious
visitor, and Reg Tolley brings a confident Devon accent – and indeed a
confident performance – as Allan, who is apt to turn up from time to
time intoning a hint of the ambience that lies beyond that wallpaper.
Maureen Moffat is his wife Mary, who doesn't like to give him a chance
to discuss bowls. This is a pleasing pairing, though when Mary has some
dramatic news she rather surprisingly seems to be in no particular hurry
to share it. Gwen Evans is Dorothy, impressively engaged at
the start of the play in unloading all those books from the bookcase, a
few at a time. This can be quite hard work, because books never
co-operate when they are required to move, but this is a challenge that
is met without any apparent tremor and it is not allowed to impinge on
her subsequent performance. Hazel Tolley's production never flags, and
Malcolm Robertshaw has designed an attractive set, which keeps its
telephone decently hidden in the hall. To 26-03-11.
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