Pat Hamilton reviews RolePlay

    RolePlay
    by Alan Ayckbourn
    performed by Waterbeach Community Players
    directed by Mark Easterfield

    RolePlay was the last in Ayckbourn's trilogy Damsels in Distress, proving to be the most popular to the extent of ousting the other two (Gameplan and Flatspin) to Saturday performances only, during their West End run. As director, (Mark Easterfield) says in his programme notes RolePlay was very much suited to WCP and how right he was - this company goes from strength to strength.

    The action takes place in a London dockland apartment. The staging was compactly designed providing a downstage lounge area with a functional kitchen on the upstage raised platform. As we now expect from WCP the furnishings, fixtures & fittings were just right with particular attention to detail. It looked lived in.

    The story is seemingly straightforward - young couple entertaining their parents to a meticulously planned dinner when they intend to announce their forthcoming wedding arrangements. But with Ayckbourn, nothing is simple. The opening scene signals looming problems. Julie-Ann (newcomer to keep an eye on Angela Newman) has dreams of fairytale nuptials and now plans to withhold her previously given favours until the wedding night, much to the displeasure of fiance Justin (burgeoning talent Iain Renfrew). It is obvious that the pair is from quite different backgrounds - Julie-Ann's parents, garden centre owners Derek & Dee Jobson, have disowned their two elder daughters for non-conformity to family values and will also be expecting to hear her double-barrelled name being used rather than Justin's pet version. Telephone calls from Justin's mother, Arabella (to be accompanied by toy-boy Olaf - luckily he gets ditched on the way), alert us to her predilection for drink. So, warning signs of impending disaster from the outset.

    The apparently minor hiccup of a lost fork sends Julie-Ann rushing out for a replacement and almost immediately order descends into chaos as a bruised and tattered lap dancer, Paige Pettite, lands on Julian's balcony having escaped from the penthouse and is hotly followed by her minder Micky bursting in through the front door. The situations which ensue may be far fetched (and sadly, too numerous to record here - you really should have gone to see it) but the story is, as expected, well written and really funny - wickedly so at times.

    The characters are a delicious mix of opposites:-

    The neurotic and comparatively frumpish Julie-Ann to hard faced, foul-mouthed but vulnerable Paige (tart supreme Jane Stewart). Derek and Dee Jobson (the ubiquitously comic Chris Shinn and delightfully laid back Christine Easterfield) the south's perception of typical northerners - provincial bigots with a penchant for bad jokes - to Arabella (controlled inebriate Rosie Wilson) a drink soaked potential socialite. Justin solid and reliable to Micky (wolf in sheep's clothing David Morris) inept and gun happy.

    So how did WCP fare with these challenges - first class. No need to single out individual performers for they were all exceptionally good, blending into a tight, disciplined and well rehearsed team. It was evident that they were comfortable in their roles and enjoying the occasion - the Thursday night audience certainly did too.

    Many congratulations to Mark Easterfield and thank you to all involved at WCP for an excellent evening entertaining us with a thoroughly engaging piece of theatre.

    Waterbeach Theatre Company
    All performances at
    Waterbeach School
    Cambridge CB25 9JU

    Contact:
    Phone: 01223 880023
    Email: secretarywtc@icloud.com

    Discover us on:
    Facebook
    Twitter

    Buy tickets from:
    Online:www.ticketsource.co.uk/wcp
    Phone: 01223 880023

    WTC is a member of the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA) www.noda.org.uk.

    Read our Data Privacy
    policy here.

    主站蜘蛛池模板: 普兰店市| 冀州市| 开封县| 西丰县| 铜川市| 黄平县| 枣阳市| 日喀则市| 义乌市| 永清县| 静宁县| 永德县| 慈溪市| 崇仁县| 益阳市| 始兴县| 聂荣县| 巴林左旗| 乐东| 康平县| 鹿泉市| 澜沧| 大方县| 日土县| 安陆市| 凉山| 巴东县| 沈阳市| 筠连县| 大冶市| 千阳县| 石城县| 鄂托克旗| 米易县| 平罗县| 佳木斯市| 左贡县| 清水河县| 镇江市| 宁津县| 岑溪市|