Yvonne Arnaud – until 25th February 2023
Reviewed by Heather Chalkley
4****
In classic Ayckbourn style, we have a gentle play to entertain you on a rainy day. He gives you enough plot twists and belly laughs to keep you fully engaged. Although written some 50 years ago, the human relationships and humour that comes out of them is just as relevant today as it was then.
Liza Goddard (Sheila) plays the faithful wife and home maker that is definitely not as simple as her husband believes her to be. The blank and confused expressions Goddard pulls needs no words, however the words come and an extra layer of fun with them. Steven Pacey (Philip) is the passionate husband that thinks he has deceived his wife quite successfully. Philip’s (Pacey) purple face and sheer frustration as the story unfolds is hilarious. Olivia Le Andersen (Ginny) captures the appearance of a perfectly innocent young women, who manages to get what she wants, with the help of Sheila (Goddard), without the duped boyfriend ever really knowing what’s going on. It takes skill to play the affable boyfriend Greg (Antony Eden), in love, bumbling along, creating havoc in his wake, yet still coming out none the wiser! He got his just desserts in the end, as did they all. Philip (Pacey) finished as the deflated, exhausted husband, no longer getting his extra slice of pie! Sheila (Goddard) shrewdly maintaining the status quo, just how she likes it.
The two settings are clever, properly giving the impression of a bedroom in a small London flat and the patio outside a large country house. They both create the right atmosphere and sense of proportion. They are also timeless, making the piece relevant to any generation.
If you are a fan of Alan Ackybourn or new to his work, this quintessentially English play is a great example and will not disappoint.