Lisa Chapman reports:
Oh what a menu of delights were on offer tonight!
Our starter was the Skateboard Theatre Company performing “Love in Glass Jar” by Nancy Harris, winner of the Cambridge Festival. This is a story about two strangers, Patrick and Eve, who have arranged to meet in a hotel room after chatting on the internet in order to carry out an unofficial sperm donation. As the play progresses you learn a little about each of the characters and what each one expects from this clandestine meeting. Throw in a rather over enthusiastic hotel manager played hilariously by Michael Flintoff and let the fun begin! Geraldine Hindley was brilliant as Eve and her natural approach to the part was a joy to behold. At first I found Michael Husband, playing Patrick, difficult to hear and understand but he soon seemed to gain confidence and the interaction and timing between the couple was spot on. The group also had to take on the challenge of some tricky lighting and sound cues and these were wonderfully executed. A very enjoyable play.
The main course was Wadham Players and “The Dumb Waiter” by Harold Pinter, winner of the Waltham Forest Festival and AETF (Eastern) Semi-Final. This play is about two hit-men awaiting instructions for their next assignment in a basement in Birmingham. It is a dark comedy and a study of human nature as the two men deal with their boring confinement in different ways. Ben, played by Chris Millington, is the experienced assassin and is happy to read his paper to try and relax whereas Gus (Lee Ocsko) the younger of the two, is childishly fidgeting and winding up his wiser colleague to breaking point. Although not a fan of Harold Pinter I enjoyed watching the interaction between these two believable actors and am a great fan of an unexpected ending!
Dessert was the Runnymede Drama Group with “Who was Hilary Maconochie” by James Saunders, winner of Spelthorne and Runnymede Festival. This play is about Mrs Brute, an upper class lady, her maid Hilda and bridge playing friend Mrs Drudge and focuses on our unreliable memories and reminiscences of life and love. A very funny play this one and I have to say superbly performed by all the members of the cast. Both Frankie Godliman as Mrs Brute and Nicola Cutcliffe as Hilda commanded the stage during their performances, both having very long dialogues to perform. They made it all look so easy but to anyone who has ever been on stage will realise that this takes a great deal of concentration, hard work and discipline. The banter between Mrs Brute and Mrs Drudge (Anne Nunn) was well timed. This was a strange, surreal play and I enjoyed the performances but was a little confused at the end.
