Richmond Theatre – until 25 January 2020
Reviewed by Riley Anderson
3.5***
Ayckbourn was an established playwright when he penned Ten Times Table in 1977 and it is the first time his writing works to tackle wider social issues and explore the polarising attitudes of the time. During this time, Ayckbourn was in the process of trying to find a new home for his theatre company, attending an endless amount of committee meetings laden with frustration and protocols, that undoubtedly planted the seed for the play in his mind.
The play focuses on a motley crew of committee members, brought together by the bumbling, inexperienced chairman Ray (Robert Daws), in order to fundraise and organise a re-enactment of a historical street protest that is suppressed by the local militia.
The first half of the play is dominated the the committee table and we are flies on the wall for a total of three meetings. In these meetings we meet the committee members, Ray’s wife Helen (Deborah Grant), an aggressive Thatcher-esque tory who dons an extravagant fur coat and attitude to match. Eric (Craig Gazey) who is a teacher at the local comprehensive and adamant, glaring marxist. Donald (Mark Curry) an experience committee member who is a stickler for getting things done by the book, at least so it appears. He is joined by his ageing mother Audrey (Elizabeth Power) who sits in the corner, penning the meetings and providing intermittent jollity and humour for the audience. There is also Laurence (Robert Duncan), the over-sentimental drunk, and Sophie (Gemma Oaten) who is wooed over to the left over the course of the first act by Eric.
The first half of the play is very static, and although the combination of characters around the committee table makes for some comic moments, it’s easy to see why this play faded away after its initial outing.
However in the second half, the play steps up to the farcical plate when Tim (Harry Gostelow) takes the reins as the fanatical solider in an attempt to put a stop to Eric’s Marxist nonsense.
Theres wooden guns used as bludgeons, pretend horses ridden by drunks, ill fitting trousers and a wonderful piano score played by Audrey.
If the first half feels a little slow, prepare yourself for the fast lane of the second.