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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 actress, bishop and lots of laughs See How They Run Dudley Little Theatre Netherton Arts Centre *****
THIS is British farce at its best, with laugh-a-minute antics
involving vicars, a bishop, a former actress, an escaped German prisoner
of war and a bellowing army sergeant. When
author Philip King wrote the first act in 1942 it was called Moon
Madness, and it's easy to see why. But when the completed play was first
performed by Peterborough Rep two years later it had the now familiar
title.
See How They Run is certainly more appropriate, and
this splendid cast probably feel drained at the end of each performance
after darting in and out of three doors, a large cupboard and up and
down the staircase, or wrestling on the floor of the Vicarage in the
imaginary village of Merton-cum-Middlewick. It's
a wartime romp with no surrender, plus the special ingredient
of pass-the-dog-collar as clergymen real and bogus dominate the action. Tony
Stamp leads the way as the eye-popping village vicar, the Rev Lionel
Toop, with Rebecca Clee superb as his former actress wife, Penelope, a
lady with modern views that shock some of the locals.
In particular she upsets tweedy spinster Miss Skillon, played with a great sense of comedy by Lyndsey Parker, particularly in the scenes where she is accidentally knocked out and then gets tipsy on the vicarage sherry. But was that a wedding ring on her left hand?
Cracking performances, too, from Emily Woolman (Ida, the maid), David
Hutchins (Lance Corporal Winton), Maurice Felton (the Bishop of Lax).
Chris Jones (the Rev Arthur Humphrey), and James Silvers (the POW). John
Lucock is so good as Sgt Towers who arrives searching for the escaped
prisoner then has to unravel the multi-vicar mystery, he might have been
drafted in from the regular army. He certainly grabs your atten-shun! Full
marks to director Prue Warne and producer Frank Martino for the way this
fast-paced farce ticks all the boxes. See How They Run runs to Saturday
night 15.05.10
Paul Marston
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