Yvonne Arnaud – until 30 November 2019
Reviewed by Heather Chalkley
3***
This is one of the first times Ayckbourn expands his writing beyond the intimacy of your living room. Written in the 70’s, he takes the opportunity to dabble with the wider realms of society, intertwining politics and Politics. Ayckbourn has fun characterising the members of a committee, who have come together to plan the summer fair in the small town of Pendon.
The meetings are set in the ballroom of the Swan Hotel, once popular, definitely seen better days. You have prominent members of the local community taking the lead on bringing a small group of towns people together. Robert Daws (Ray) has the tremendous task of chairing the meeting, keeping the peace and finding a way to make the pageant happen. He manages to tip toe round some of the sensibilities, then in contrast challenging his wife, Helen (Deborah Grant), head on! The result is the energy and fervour of a young Marxist teacher, Eric (Craig Gazey) carry’s the committee members along on a crest of enthusiasm and slightly over the top speech. The central focus for the summer fair becomes a pageant. The organisation of the pageant becomes a battle between left and right wing politics, rich and poor, youth and maturity. The result is hilarious. Gazey (Eric) carries a youthful pent up swagger and an ardent rhetoric. Harry Gostelow (Tim) was a complete caricature, surprising everyone with his extreme views on ‘filthy’ Marxist sympathisers and declaration of war! The reactions of his fellow players is priceless, with Ray (Daws) trying desperately to calm everything down. My favourite moments are delivered by Elizabeth Power (Audrey) as the deaf minute taker and mother of the local councillor. Her comedic timing is on point – reading the lips of Philippa (Rhiannon Handy), who has the voice of a mouse, having her knitting needle taken mid stitch and playing the piano throughout the action scene, to name but a few.
The set played into the comedy with dodgy lights and people coming and going at odd times with equipment. The Creatives have done a great job on the costumes, particularly for the pageant. The extra stitches to make trousers and jackets inflexible was very funny.
Robin Herford (Director) is true to the classic Ayckbourn farcical comedy style and manages to get a message out there – do not take yourself or life too seriously