Four married couples feature in this play which presents their very different relationships over the course of one farcical evening, on into the early hours. Delia and Ernest are celebrating their wedding anniversary while Malcolm and Kate are having a housewarming party. Nick has a bad back so has to stay at home in bed; his wife Jan goes to the party without him, where she bumps into old flame Trevor who is having a row with his depressed and distracted wife Susannah.
The stage set cleverly presents three bedrooms; lighting and action moves audience attention from one to another, and there is an intelligent use of space and timing. Moments of intensity from neurotic Trevor and Susannah are relieved by comedy, while Jan and Nick’s bickering and jibes are also offset with some humour.
Herford directs a well known cast but it is always apparent that they are acting. Only James Midgley and Natalie Cassidy work with perfect comic timing, which makes an audience forget they are delivering lines. They both fully engage with other members of the cast which makes for convincing theatre and excellent entertainment. Hannah Yelland, whilst having strong, clear enunciation, delivers all her lines to the audience and not to her fellow actors which feels surprisingly uncomfortable. She and Beth Cordingly are given parts to play which are never going to evoke audience sympathy: Jan is brittle and Susannah is a casualty. Trevor’s self-obsession is worse. Unfortunately, he is so repellent that one wonders why any woman would want to be married to him, even Susannah.
Marital sniping is not a pleasant thing to watch but the comedy is nicely done. Audience comments were that it felt a bit dated, and that the ending was inconclusive. It may be fair to say there are elements of the 1950s about Delia and Ernest and the lack of chemistry between the two dysfunctional couples does not suggest satisfying resolution at the end but, on the whole, Jolly Good Show.
The stage set cleverly presents three bedrooms; lighting and action moves audience attention from one to another, and there is an intelligent use of space and timing. Moments of intensity from neurotic Trevor and Susannah are relieved by comedy, while Jan and Nick’s bickering and jibes are also offset with some humour.
Herford directs a well known cast but it is always apparent that they are acting. Only James Midgley and Natalie Cassidy work with perfect comic timing, which makes an audience forget they are delivering lines. They both fully engage with other members of the cast which makes for convincing theatre and excellent entertainment. Hannah Yelland, whilst having strong, clear enunciation, delivers all her lines to the audience and not to her fellow actors which feels surprisingly uncomfortable. She and Beth Cordingly are given parts to play which are never going to evoke audience sympathy: Jan is brittle and Susannah is a casualty. Trevor’s self-obsession is worse. Unfortunately, he is so repellent that one wonders why any woman would want to be married to him, even Susannah.
Marital sniping is not a pleasant thing to watch but the comedy is nicely done. Audience comments were that it felt a bit dated, and that the ending was inconclusive. It may be fair to say there are elements of the 1950s about Delia and Ernest and the lack of chemistry between the two dysfunctional couples does not suggest satisfying resolution at the end but, on the whole, Jolly Good Show.
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