Bembridge Little Theatre Club’s production of Gosforth’s Fete. Picture by Laura Holme.
STAGE REVIEWTWO comedy plays and a hot supper was just what was needed on last Friday the 13th’s cold and blustery night.
An electrocution, illicit affairs, village scandal and a particularly wet, muddy disgruntled councillor were all featured in Bembridge Little Theatre Club’s autumn production.
The cast of eight performed both Alan Ayckbourne’s Gosforth’s Fete and David Tristram’s Last Tango in Little Grimley as seamlessly as their comic timing.
The first comedy explored an ill-fated village fete spoiled by bad weather and badly behaved residents.
The second examined The Little Grimley amateur dramatics society troupe, trying in vain to save themselves from financial ruin, by creating a scandalous play.
Each cast member filled the stage with such a strong presence, they had both myself and the audience in stitches from start to finish.
The biggest laugh to rattle the village hall, however, came from Ann Proudfoot who played Mrs Pearce, a councillor’s wife.
After appearing on stage dressed up to the nines, Mrs Pearce later returned covered in mud, drenched and bewildered, due to the scout master’s cubs sending her in the wrong direction.
Despite the unusual dining hall seating arrangement for a theatrical performance, the cast created a relaxed atmosphere, using the aisle and making the audience feel we were part of the action.
Martie Cain had the audience enraptured with her innocent, dizzy portrayal of Joyce; using physical theatre to perfection, causing eruptions of laughter at the simplest of actions.
Andy Ball was convincing in both sketches as the philandering publican Gosforth, and the reluctant set builder Bernard, who delivered classic one liners and saucy innuendoes.
The whole production had a wonderful Vicar of Dibleyesque atmosphere about it, with contrasting characters ranging from crass commoners who speak their mind, to sophisticated posh prudes.
Ann Proudfoot, both chairman and performer, said of the choice of plays, "November is a miserable month, what with the recession and the bad weather, so I thought, let’s do a play where we can all have a good laugh!".