Silchester Players

Cat's-eye view of pantomime

SILCHESTER PLAYERS:'PUSS IN BOOTS OR THEREBY HANGS A TAIL', at Silchester village hall, on Friday, January 24, Saturday, January 25, Friday, January 31, and Saturday, February 1

Although panto may have come and gone this year on the professional theatre circuit, it is still doing the business in the villages the length and breadth of our shires.

Silchester Players are currently presenting 'Puss in Boots Or Thereby Hangs a Tail', a gorgeously staged version to delight the eye. The script however, while telling the story well, left us wanting, with many characters failing to develop, especially the Dame, the good and bad fairies and Ognog the ogre. That said, the enthusiastic cast grabbed all the opportunities to present a lively piece of theatre, and it was good to see many youngsters in the supporting roles, giving the show a real community feel.

Janet Taylor gave good value as the scatty Fidelia and her opposite in magic, Maligna, was played in fine Gothic dominatrix style by Caroline Norton, complete with whip!

Sarah Oliver as Colin and Hayley Fitton as Petra were charming and refreshingly sincere in the principal boy/girl roles. John Coffin as Marcia Mallow, the palace confectioner made us all laugh and Nicola Bratt as the eponymous hero aka Montmorency, showed great presence and flair. Tony Oliver and Jill Hutchings brought a fine sense of the ridiculous and comedy to their roles of King Percival and Queen Prudence and Darren Lerigo and Jessica Miller turned in strong and notable performances as Harry and Abigail.

Chorus work was well rehearsed and choreographed by Hayley Fitton, and despite my previous criticism of the script, director Brian Gillet had created a charming escapist atmosphere with great sincerity and devoid of sometimes distracting trendy gimmicks.

All this was backed up by lively music from Stephen Oliver, beautiful fairy-tale sets from Kevin Belcher and crew, colourful costumes, good lighting, and amazingly silent scene changes. As always, great entertainment and good value from Silchester Players.

Stoppard Digs at the Critics

SILCHESTER PLAYERS: 'THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND', at Silchester Village Hall, on Friday, April 25, Saturday, April 26, Friday, May 2, and Saturday, May 3

The play opened with a theatre critic waiting patiently for a play to start, soon to be joined by a more experienced rival with a cynical view not only of the play but of life in general.

David Bibby and Nick Lock's interaction as hapless reviewers Moon and Birdboot was superb, each lost in their own world and carrying on completely different conversations which somehow blended together.

As the curtain rose on the drawing room of a country house, housekeeper Mrs Drudge saw the dust but no dead body on the floor.  Lyn Davies looked the part and her understated humour was perfect.

The action continued apace with the arrival of the lady of the manor and her houseguests.  I was impressed with Hayley Fitton as Felicity, conveying her lisping youthfulness without being twee, and Darren Lerigo as the villainous Simon, but I was somewhat thrown by the appearance of Sarah Oliver as Lady Muldoon in a cocktail dress and carrying a tennis racquet.

They were later joined by the long-lost brother of Lady Muldoon's late husband, the wheelchair-bound Major Muldoon, played by Brian Gillett, who convincingly manoeuvred the wheelchair around the set.

While the play was performed, our erstwhile critics noisily discussed it - and their private lives - giving us glimpses of their review.  Tom Stoppard had obviously been on the receiving end of many a critic's pen.

After about 25 minutes, the interval came too quickly for my liking and lasted too long, spoiling the continuity.

Bumbling Inspector Hound arrived and announced that a murderer was on the loose and might well strike again.  He too managed to miss the vital clue of the body on the floor, which he stepped over several times before discovering.  Caroline Norton must have had one of the hardest parts, on stage the whole time with not so much as a twitching finger.

That the one-liners and innuendo were delivered with impeccable timing is due, I am sure, to the hard work of producer Alan Moorhouse.

I left with the words of Birdboot ringing in my ears "before 10.30 family entertainment,  after 10.30 self indulgent".  The play finished at 10pm.

Entertaining tales of the middle Englanders

SILCHESTER PLAYERS: 'SAND CASTLES', at Silchester Village Hall, on Friday, October 17, Saturday, October 18, Friday, October 24, and Saturday, October 25

An Englishman's home is his castle, or rather in the case of Silchester Players' latest production (last weekend and this), his sand castle.

Set in the very English world of beach hut owners, with their snobbery and unwritten rules, it is an amusing insight.  Given the pedigree of author Bob Larbey (The Good Life, As Time Goes By) the script and characters are a little predictable.  Nevertheless, director Keith Graham and the cast entered into the spirit of the piece and despite, I suspect, a few first night nerves which slowed the pace at times, it was a hugely enjoyable evening's entertainment.

The Pattersons who own number 20 are middle everything including aged and class - and want to defend the piece of sand in front of their hut against all interlopers.

John Coffin as William was philosophical and benign, though often enlivened by flashes of lechery.  Gaynor Keafe as Margaret was perfectly upright, uptight, and always ready with the teapot.  The Billets of number 18 arrive, and after a exchange with the Pattersons decide to call each other by their first names (it has only taken six years to get this friendly).

Stan Billet, car salesman, was played with oily skill and a flair for comedy by Alan Moorhouse and was perfectly coupled by Jill Hutchins as the ghastly Bernice, with an even more ghastly voice and well lubricated by constant top-ups of sparkling white wine.

The owners of number 19 have done the unspeakable.  They have rented out their hut.  The arrival of the tenants, fish and chip tycoon Doug together with two nubile nieces (Nicola Bratt and Amy Carter) causes much consternation.

Brian Gillet as Doug confidently created a disarming and likeable character with excellent presence.

As Bernice's sister, Sarah Oliver gave an effective transformation, starting shy, and ending up going off with Doug to Portugal, and Caroline Statham reminded us of the Giles Grandma with her overcoat, umbrella and comments.

The three beach invaders Lyn Davies, Emma Williams and Helen Chesterman provided particularly strong back-up and great comedy as they sat-in with their windbreak.

The set was excellent with three colourful beach huts surrounded by a brilliant blue sky and sand dunes, and the lighting and sound effects set the summer scene perfectly on a cool autumn night.