A MURDER HAS BEEN ARRANGED (UK Tour) Review July 2013

The final instalment in the Ian Dickens summer play season at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre is another classic example of traditional rep. A Murder Has Been Arranged was performed first in 1930 at the Strand Theatre (now the Novello) in London.  

The play takes place on the stage of London's St. James' Theatre (to be clear, this isn't a play within a play like so many that are doing the rounds) and the current set is used as the venue for Sir Charles Jasper's 40th birthday party (changed to 50th in this production, presumably much closer to the real age of the actor). Sir Charles is due to inherit £2m at 11 o'clock that evening which otherwise would have be given to his only living relative Maurice Mullins. Who should turn up that evening is perhaps not too difficult to guess and given the title of the play Sir Charles' murder has most definitely been arranged. 

Anita Harris (The Cemetery Club) and Nicola Weeks (Haunted/The Final Test) are idyllic English ladies and are joined by Karen Ford (The Final Test) who is loveable as Mrs Wragg - the fearful maid. When dialogue gets perhaps a little heavy the play is completely shaken up by the estranged family member himself Maurice Mullins - ridiculously pompous and played most humorously by Coronation Street's Dr Carter - Oliver Mellor. It is Mellor who keeps the audience engagement through the plots twists and turns. Poppy Meadows does a spiffing job as the no nonsense Miss Groze. Mike Duran plays conductor Cavendish and Paul Lavers is the ill-fated Sir Charles Jasper. In an unusual instance the climax to this play is less of a whodunnit and more of a letsprovewhodunnit. 

It is only in the climax of the play where its age is all too apparent. Long-winded prophecy's playing out,  death and supernatural occurrences are received with titters and are at times cringeworthy - no fault of the cast but situations within the play are a little strange, less effective and hard to be believed. If you're a fan of eerie wind sound effects though you won't be disappointed here.

The plot moves along quickly enough and there is always a twist and turn to keep you interested. This is a nostalgic look back at when thrill depended on the less visual approach. Incredibly well acted by an experienced and charming cast. 

A Murder Has Been Arranged runs at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre until Saturday 20th July. Book tickets here. 

STEAMING (UK Tour) Review July 2013

The 1981 winner of the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy is in Wolverhampton this week - the second play of four in the Ian Dickens Summer Play Season. 

Set in a steam room of a run down Turkish baths in East London the play explores a few weeks in the lives of five women that visit. Unfortunately there's little much else until well into the play the announcement of the business' closure sparks the ladies to fight and appeal the decision. 

London's Burning's Kim Taylforth is well suited to the 'Essex beauty parlour' type character Violet. Rachel Stanley not only shows off her capable acting ability but flaunts every inch of her naked body and there is more than a few full frontal flashings as Josie. Josie's love life and bedroom activity tends to make up much of the plot. Rebecca Wheatley is rather loveable in the role of Dawn. 

Perhaps this was better suited to the 80's, this production was acted incredibly well and moved along at a steady pace. It fizzled but never popped. The girls up there are clearly having lots of fun and Steaming has the potential to be great but it is a mediocre plot that holds it back. Perhaps a fun night out for the ladies.

Click here to book.

Cast List: Kim Taylforth, Martin Jason, Rachel Stanley, Patricia Franklin, Rebecca Wheatley, Katherine Heath, Michelle Morris.

MURDER IN PLAY (UK Tour) Review June 2013

The 'play within a play' can be an effective dramatic device which as Michael Billington said of the original production of Noises Off is a "booby-trapped minefield of theatre itself in which one false move, one missed cue, can destroy a carefully created fiction." They're not always the easiest plays to follow and perhaps even more difficult for a company to execute convincingly. It is by complete coincidence that last night I saw Noises Off (review) and tonight the similarly set up Murder In Play. Whereas Noises Off's 'Nothing On' is a farce within a farce, what we have here is 'Murder At Priorswell Manor' - a murder mystery with a murder mystery that is a comedy thriller... 

Similarities between the two are most evident in character and situation but where Murder In Play differs is in pace and tone. We have more time to take in what is happening without farcical slapstick madness sometimes obscuring the plot.

We begin in rehearsal, which is seemingly the norm at the play within play... Also similar is that it is the day before opening and exasperated director Boris Smolensky (David Callister) works his cast late into the night - long after Equity guidelines. Tensions soon begin to fray between cast and crew and it isn't long before murder is not only fictional. 

Alison Mead, David Callister, Gemma Bissix, 

Richard Tate and Dean Gaffney (Photo by Lester McKone)

Callister makes a humorous director, strutting around in high boots suggesting ridiculous changes to character - the impeccable Katy Manning as health food fanatic Christa D'Amato was at one point bent over a chicken with her arms in the air, squawking her lines at Tim (Dean Gaffney) who had been told to give his character a higher pitched voice. There is also plenty of humour from elements of farce such as cupboard doors that won't stay shut, forgetful actors and gun that doesn't bang. Line-forgetting actor Barrison Bracewell, played by Richard Tate is a comedy gem. Much like Noises Off's Selsdon, Tate's character is often having to check the script and later gives a hilarious turn as an inspector who one could mistake as Ronnie Corbett at the Ministry Of Silly Walks. Eastenders and Hollyoaks actress Gemma Bissix stars as Sophie Lawton, who as the mystery progresses becomes the Miss Marple and carries the audience through a series of events and a surprising twist ending. 

Katy Manning (Photo by Lester McKone)

Alison Mead is strong as battle-axe Renee Savage as is Julia Main as Pat - the stage manager forced into acting. Poppy Meadows perhaps shows strongest contrast between her character Ginette and her character's character Virginia - helping to confirm the current stage situation.

The first of four plays in this year's summer season at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Murder In Play is a strong starter. It has every element of what makes a great play - humour, pace, a hugely talent cast and what is almost necessary today - a murder mystery! Playing until Saturday 29th June, book here. Book other plays in the season here.

HAUNTED (Wolverhampton Grand Theatre) July 2012

Ron Aldridge's Haunted plays in Wolverhampton this week in place of the originally scheduled Dry Rot. This production extends the summer play season into a fifth week with three of the four actors returning for a second time this season. It is the second Ron Aldridge play this year - the first being You're Only Young Twice. This play couldn't be any different.

Haunted quickly goes from being rather an erotic play to one that deeply explores the consciousness of the mind. It follows Paul Pengelly (Peter Amory) a double-murderer who has been found not guilty on both accounts. He's starting the life he always wanted but things soon take a sinister turn when his victims appear in his head and will not leave until he confesses to murder.

The two victims, Susan Pengelly (Joanne Heywood) and Richard Tremayne (Nick Ricketts) have a lot to do. Original tactics to edge Peter into confession is to repeatedly tease and taunt him. Not only is this annoying for Peter who is trying to get on with his life but also for the audience who are trying to watch. I couldn't help but feel Peter's agitation and annoyance, which (in a way) is the play working as it should. I could definitely sympathise with Peter, but he's a murderer - he deserves it!

Peter's new love Melanie is played by Nicola Weeks. Interestingly, Amory and Weeks were a couple (Susan and Ray) last week in The Final Test and are together again as Peter and Melanie this week. They work very well together and managed to switch from last week's couple to this week's very different pair.

Alan Miller Bunford's sets return again and this one, a charming lilac bedroom is lit cold and more harshly as the storyline gets grittier and more intense.

The programme features an article about various stage and film ghosts, one of which being Sam Wheat from Ghost. Ghost being a recent screen-to-stage adaptation features special effects and illusions to as part of a multi-million pound musical production in London. Surprisingly this smaller production also features illusions to enforce the ghost-like qualities of the actors who to look at are no different in appearance to the living characters.

You really have to concentrate in this one. There's a lot of supernatural explaining and understanding and at times switching between real-time action to reenactments of the past without obvious notice. Distraction techniques work well to showcase the illusions. The play runs at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre until Saturday 28th July after finishing a small UK tour in May. This is your last chance to see it and is definitely worth considering.

Website: http://iandickensinternational.com/productions/haunted.html

Tickets: http://www.grandtheatre.info/WhatsOn_focus.asp?ShowId=618&sC=page10

THE FINAL TEST (UK Tour) July 2012

For this, the fourth play in the Ian Dickens play season we are presented with an entirely new work. This is the first time Chris Paling's comedy has been put before an audience, perhaps a big gamble in today's theatrical world - but it managed to hold it's own.

Doctor Who's Colin Baker stars as Peter, who discovers one afternoon that his wife Ruth (Karen Ford) has sold the house and is moving to Bexhill-On-Sea with a new man she found on the internet. Peter, not knowing what to do remains in the garden listening to the cricket. The new owners move in and face the awkward task of getting him out. They call upon the help of a policeman (Michael Garland) who instead of evicting Peter, ends up ballroom dancing with him.

Colin Baker has undoubtable charm. However annoying it is to have an unwelcome visitor in your garden, when it's Colin Baker you'd happily keep him for a gnome. He manages to steer conversations away from why he's staying towards ridiculous situations or getting into confusing the opponent with a pompous argument. Karen Ford as his wife plays a strained and desperate cricket-widow. Emmerdale's Peter Amory along with Nicola Weeks as Susan are the perfect contrast in personality who benefit from the help of their friendly squatter. As with all the plays there is one character who appears for all of two minutes and is never seen again until curtain call. In this play it is Gavin Kerr as the removal man who doubles up as an assistant stage manager.

The set by Alan Miller-Bunford is by far his best creation throughout the play season. There's a spacious lawn, a shed, a whole house with a kitchen in-view, a wall of another house, a street behind the house - nothing is forgotten about. The set makes the slightly daft story seem much more realistic. 

Overall, an amusing evening. For a new play, it's great. It was nice to see a play set in the present day with references to Facebook and Blackberries ("Blueberries"). It starts off a little slowly, and is very dialogue heavy in some parts. If you're not a cricket fan (like me) then perhaps some of the more technical cricket language will wash over your head but the play is much more than that. 

The Final Test runs at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre until Saturday 21st July and plays only two more venues before finishing it's run on 18th August. 

(With Colin Baker)

Ticket Booking for Wolverhampton: http://grandtheatre.info/WhatsOn_focus.asp?ShowId=615&sC=page10

Website: http://iandickensinternational.com/productions/finaltest.html

YOU'RE ONLY YOUNG TWICE (UK Tour) July 2012

You're Only Young Twice is a bittersweet comedy by Ron Aldridge that first premiered in 2001. Since then it has been a firm favourite with amateur companies and has played world-wide. This most recent version is the third play in the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre's summer plays season.

Melvyn Hayes stars as Brooksie, a recent widower who decides that now is the time to recapture his youth. I knew nothing of the play before the curtain went up and as soon as he walks onto stage you know that Melvyn Hayes is the perfect man for the job. He switches from the young at heart, drunken teenage Brooksie to the mournful, reflective elder gentlemen with excellence. You get your money's worth on Hayes' performance alone.

Supporting cast members are also a joy to watch. Doctor Who's Katy Manning's Rose has much agitation towards Brooksie and her gradual change in attitude towards him is very sweet. John D. Collins is humorous as the pompous no-nonsense Tom. Heartbeat's David Lonsdale, Michelle Morris, Ingrid Evans and Daphne Sherman make up the rest of the cast. 

The set for this one, once again designed by Alan Millar-Bunford is the living room of a house. Realistic on the inside but the only problem with this one is that outside of the window is a creased white backcloth. Other plays in the season have had detailed landscapes hinting at realism and with the same designer you'd expect that continuity. It's a little distracting when characters are susposedly looking out onto the "street". 

I think that some of the jokes, humour and references are a little 40 years before my time, and the reflections of gone 60 year olds are easier to empathise with if you are of that age. The whole of the summer play season in Wolverhampton is geared towards the elder generation but it doesn't exclude younger audiences and there is something in these plays for all ages. The bread throwing scene in this particular play left the entire audience roaring with laughter for long after.

(With Melvyn Hayes, Katy Manning and David Lonsdale)

You're Only Young Twice runs at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (it's first venue of the tour) until Saturday 14th July and then embarks on a UK tour ending 3rd November 2012 in Crewe. 

Website: http://iandickensinternational.com/productions/youngtwice.html

DEAD RINGER (UK Tour) July 2012

Dead Ringer, a political thriller by Charles Ross. Heard of it? Didn't think so. I hadn't either, nor the cast before being handed the script. The story unfolds at number 10 Downing Street after the Prime Minister dies on the eve of an election. In order to keep their jobs those around him hatch a plan that involves hiring a look-a-like out of work actor to take his place. It's very far-fetched.

I couldn't help but thinking to myself "would this really happen?". It's difficult to believe that close relations of the Prime Minister including the Queen would initially fail to recognise the impostor. It was a lot of fun, farcical and witty - but the reality of the whole situation was ludicrous.

This is the second play of four that feature in the Ian Dickens Summer Play Season at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. David Callister who plays Prime Minister Randolph Jackson and impersonator Gerry Jackson has a lot to do, and manages well with acting as an actor who is acting as the character he played for the first ten minutes - yes, really. Chris Ellison, Frank Burnside in the Bill and Boyard in a later series of Fort Boyard with his hard-man image made for a perfect Colonel Hardacre.

Joanne Heywood and Tony Adams (both pictured above) gave strong performances as Eva Bolton and Ray Turnbull. There was great character in Josh Hall's Nigel Heywood. It is a shame that he didn't appear for longer, with only a few brief appearances. It seems to be the case with these plays that the popular comedic character you'd like to see most has the least to do. Josh Hall is however credited in the programme as Assistant Stage Manager and understudy along with Neve Breen. 

Alan Miller Bunford's set for this production is a lot more practical than his creation for last week's The Cemetery Club. And with no set changes, the breaks between scenes were very short. 

The play as a whole is an interesting one. I'm not the best when it comes to understanding politics (and neither are the cast they admitted afterwards) and that side of the play was completely over my head. But what is interesting about this one, regardless of political understanding is the motives of those covering up the death and watching the situation evolve into a detective 'whodunit' mystery. There is enthusiasm aplenty within the cast, apart from that is to say the weakest and most feeble gunshot I've ever seen on stage. It makes for an entertaining night out. 

Dead Ringer runs at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre until Saturday 7th July before continuing on a UK tour.

(With Tony Adams, Chris Ellison, David Callister and Joanne Heywood)

Website: http://iandickensinternational.com/productions/deadringer.html

THE CEMETERY CLUB (UK Tour) June 2012

Although part of a UK tour, The Cemetery Club marks the first of four plays in the Ian Dickens Play Season at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.

The play follows three Jewish widows, Ida, Lucille and Doris who meet once a month at Ida's house and head to the cemetery to visit their dead husbands. This particular day they meet Sam, who is questionably there to visit his wife's grave and treats it more of a singles club.

Alan Miller Bunford's set is very compact, beautiful, realistic, but compact. It is perhaps condensed enough to fit into the smallest of venues but the small cast of five struggled at times to move around Ida's flat, let alone the cemetery which took considerable time to move onto stage while the tabs flew in and we sat at listened to Rat Pack.

Slightly lengthy breaks in the play can be overseen considering the perfect casting. Shirley-Anne Field is an absolute joy as Lucille, the man-hunting, mink wearing member of the club. She manages to provide much of the comedy and receives raucous laughter when she reveals her wedding outfit.

Anita Harris is a delight as Ida and Anne Charleston (Madge from Neighbours) is right at home in her character's no nonsense approach to the idea of finding love again.

With less time to impress but certainly manages to, is Debbie Norman who is wonderfully annoying as Mildred. It is such a shame that her character appears for only one scene. The Bill's Peter Ellis is charming as Sam.

The problems faced in young love are repeated all over again in an uncertain try at love in life's later stages. This is a wonderful, bittersweet and enjoyable play to kick off the Ian Dickens 2012 Play Season in Wolverhampton.  The Cemetery Club plays only four more venues before finishing on 4th August. You can see it at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre until Saturday 30th June.

More information on the Wolverhampton Grand's entire play season can be found here: http://www.grandtheatre.info/default.asp?Id=311&PageSubType=323&sC=page48

Website for The Cemetery Club: http://iandickensinternational.com/productions/cemetery.html