See How They Run by Philip King , Manor Pavilion Theatre – Sidmouth, until 23 August. 5☆☆☆☆☆ Review: Cormac Richards

Photo Credit: Sidmouth Summer Play Festival.

See How They Run by Philip King , Manor Pavilion Theatre – Sidmouth, until 23 August,

5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: Cormac Richards.

“Unalloyed Joy.”

In the wrong hands, a production of Philip King’s 1945 farce can be a disaster – when you have a director like Jonathan Hunt and his assembled cast at the Manor Pavilion, Sidmouth – it is an unalloyed joy!

Farce relies on split second timing, full command of the material and the ability to deal with the unexpected, oh, and a decent script is pretty essential. King’s play retains a freshness – maybe because it is so ludicrous – but its construction is so smart that it has to rank along the greats of its genre. With a plot which contains multiple vicars – why are vicars innately amusing? – an escaped German prisoner and a local gossip who spends most of the play drunk and/or locked in a cupboard – then you have all you need to royally entertain an audience. The plot is in many ways of absolutely no consequence, the viewer is just invited to sit back and let it wash over them.

Doors are slammed shut left, right and centre which gives the stage crew the task of ensuring the excellent panelled set is robust – it is. Period costumes abound which offer a challenge for designer Jan Huckle; military and ecclesiastical outfits about, but she more than meets the needs. Lighting is pretty straightforward, but there are a welter of sound cues which help add to the chaos that unfolds.

The cast hit the ground running as the visual and verbal gags come thick and fast; it is a very physical play and everyone throws themselves into it bodily. As Liv Koplick enters (almost Mrs Overall-like) with rattling tea tray as the cheeky maid, Ida, you know you are at home. In total contrast to the sophisticated Sheila Wendice of the last play, she more than displays her versatility. Stephanie Willson played Miss Skillon back in the first season produced by Paul Taylor-Mills in 2013 and why wouldn’t she want to play the nosey parishioner again? It’s a glorious role and is played to the hilt and then some! Caught in the midst of increasing chaos is the innocent Reverend Toop whose life goes into freefall – perfectly captured by Adam Forrester. Laura Anna-Mead has offered the Sidmouth audiences plenty in the last few years and here again as the unconventional wife of the vicar, she shows superb comic timing and awareness. Long of limb, Jake Seabrooke made a wonderful impression in ‘Charley’s Aunt’ three years ago and now puts his physical attributes to quite perfect use – he is your ideal farceur. James Pellow has performed this play three times at Sidmouth over the years (this his second time as the Bishop of Lux) and his delivery of excellent one-liners are faultlessly executed. Late in the play Richard Stemp arrives and offers a masterclass in ‘dithering’ as the Reverend Humphrey and Dominic McChesney patently has fun as the no-nonsense convict. What a joy to see Andrew Beckett (Associate Producer and Set Designer for the whole season) back on the stage as a policeman and ensuring he is not to be outdone in the over-acting honours. It is a superb cast and they serve Jonathan Hunt so well – a director whose attention to detail achieves miracles given there is only five days rehearsal.

Full of genuinely hilarious moments, with some gentle innuendo thrown in, if you are in need of a laugh then you couldn’t do much better than this. I, along with the large first night audience, loved it.

Cast

Ida – Liv Koplick

Miss Skillon – Stephanie Willson

Lionel Toop – Adam Forrester

Penelope Toop – Laura Anna-Mead

Lance-Corporal Clive Winton – Jake Seabrooke

The Intruder – Dominic McChesney

The Bishop of Lux – James Pellow

Reverend Arthur Humphrey – Richard Stemp

Sergeant Towers – Andrew Beckett

Creatives

Writer – Philip King

Director – Jonathan Hunt

Set Design – Andrew Beckett

Costume Designer – Jan Huckle

Lighting Design – Chris Jackson, Will Tippet,

Sound Design – James Prendergast, Mark Rose

Set Builder – Rhys Cannon

Stage Manager - James Prendergast

Set Assistant – Dominic McChesney

Artistic Director – Paul Taylor-Mills

Associate Producer – Andrew Beckett