The Stables Theatre and Arts Centre
The Bourne, Hastings
East Sussex TN34 3BD
01424 423221
The Bourne, Hastings
East Sussex TN34 3BD
01424 423221
RolePlay
By Alan Ayckbourn
A Stables Theatre production
Directed by Michael Boakes
6–14 February 2009
Reviewed by Philip Blurton
By Alan Ayckbourn
A Stables Theatre production
Directed by Michael Boakes
6–14 February 2009
Reviewed by Philip Blurton
The hilarious RolePlay opened to well-deserved acclaim last week. A diverse group of people meet in the Docklands flat of an ill-matched young couple about to announce their engagement. Justin and Julie-Ann are trapped in their roles, as the couple who must proclaim their love despite the cracks appearing in their relationship. Enter Julie-Ann’s parents, entrenched in their role as straight-speaking bigots with a panoply of prejudices they cannot begin to recognize. Also present: a lap dancer, with minder, from the flat above and Justin’s drunk mother in her role as posh alcoholic.
In the leads, Kitson Wellard as Justin gave an assured and sympathetic portrayal of a down-trodden male, and Bella Griffith as Julie-Ann was the expertly blinkered girlfriend seemingly only alive to replicate her mother. Janet McCarter and Ian Fairbrass were her double-act parents, ghastly in their narrow-mindedness but so funny. Rubbing against their prudish view of the world was Zoe Morgan as the lap dancer. Showing her fabulous legs to their best advantage, Zoe roller-coasted with apparent ease through the calm and storms of her violent, life-threatened character and treated us to a snippet of very sexy dance! Her minder, played by Paul Hurley, was suitably menacing but still able to show an equally believable softer side by the end of the play. This only leaves Carol Miskin-Peters as Arabella, a truly delightful drunk whose slurred speech, physical collapse and unerring eye for the drinks table, did not waver throughout the evening.
The fact that the humour of the play excelled was testament to the consistently high acting qualities of the cast and the tight direction. From the opening joke the play rocketed along, with all actors completely on top of their lines, stage business and characterizations. Such was the energy and pace of the acting that there was barely time to draw breath between bursts of laughter. It was a joy to be swept up in it all, though given the evident skill of the cast at times easing back on the throttle may have given greater emphasis to the more subtle and poignant moments.
The audience laughed and laughed, but also reflected on the ability of some of Ayckbourn’s characters to escape their initial roles and move on, while others were tragically stuck where they started. But that’s life I guess.
In the leads, Kitson Wellard as Justin gave an assured and sympathetic portrayal of a down-trodden male, and Bella Griffith as Julie-Ann was the expertly blinkered girlfriend seemingly only alive to replicate her mother. Janet McCarter and Ian Fairbrass were her double-act parents, ghastly in their narrow-mindedness but so funny. Rubbing against their prudish view of the world was Zoe Morgan as the lap dancer. Showing her fabulous legs to their best advantage, Zoe roller-coasted with apparent ease through the calm and storms of her violent, life-threatened character and treated us to a snippet of very sexy dance! Her minder, played by Paul Hurley, was suitably menacing but still able to show an equally believable softer side by the end of the play. This only leaves Carol Miskin-Peters as Arabella, a truly delightful drunk whose slurred speech, physical collapse and unerring eye for the drinks table, did not waver throughout the evening.
The fact that the humour of the play excelled was testament to the consistently high acting qualities of the cast and the tight direction. From the opening joke the play rocketed along, with all actors completely on top of their lines, stage business and characterizations. Such was the energy and pace of the acting that there was barely time to draw breath between bursts of laughter. It was a joy to be swept up in it all, though given the evident skill of the cast at times easing back on the throttle may have given greater emphasis to the more subtle and poignant moments.
The audience laughed and laughed, but also reflected on the ability of some of Ayckbourn’s characters to escape their initial roles and move on, while others were tragically stuck where they started. But that’s life I guess.
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Photographs > www.artypharty.com
A selection of production photographs from the 1950s to the present is available at our photographer Peter Mould’s website.
A selection of production photographs from the 1950s to the present is available at our photographer Peter Mould’s website.
