During this ‘play within a play’ we follow actors doing their best to stage their production of Murder Most Foul, only to have the playwright make constant interruptions with so-called improvements to the script. As you can imagine, anything that can go wrong – does go wrong!
Talk about ending on a high: The Harborough Theatre pulled off a corker with Play On! last week. It was a job keeping up with the pace and humour in this wonderful script by Rick Abbot, superbly directed by Neil Lovegrove. The tight cast of ten showed dedicated teamwork and clearly enjoyed the production as much as the audience. A play within a play, it gives an inside view of a theatre group in rehearsal and, eventually, performance of a murder mystery, taking in the prima donna-style antics of some, over-acting of others and the frustration of everyone from an interfering playwright. Chaos reigns from the outset.
I loved the exaggerated, melodramatic poses and deliveries of Dan Hands and Denis Murphy as Billy Carewe and Saul Watson. Similarily executed were the roles of Henry and Polly Benish played by the talented Tim Hands and Lizzie Murphy. Timing is everything in a comedy and this quartet in particular had it to a tee. Sophie Marlowe was outstanding as the nubile Violet Imbry and Dave Marten provided a perfect and complete contrast as Gerry Dunbar, the group’s wearied director. Emma Backett as young Smitty got progressively funnier. The equally hilarious ‘backstage’ team comprised of Kate Cary as stage manager Aggie and Rebecca Matthews as set builder Louise balanced the excesses of the ‘actors’. Barbara Lloyd lapped up the part of playwright Phyllis, adding chaos with every entrance. Even the ingenious set designed by Tritan Knowles and his team provided hilarity with a set change performance!
A wonderful end to a great season.
— Edited from Gordon Birch’s review in the Harborough Mail
Gerry – Dave Martin
Henry – Tim Hands
Polly – Lizzie Murphy
Billy – Dan Hands
Violet – Sophie Marlowe
Saul – Den Murphy
Smitty – Emma Beckett
Aggie – Kate Cary
Louise – Rebecca Matthews
Phyllis – Barbara Lloyd
Directed by Neil Lovegrove
Photography by John Harrison
Presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com