MANSFIELD PARK & RIDE To 23 January.
Ipswich/Woodbridge.
MANSFIELD PARK & RIDE
by Brendan Murray.
Sir John Mills Theatre Gatacre Road Ipswich IP1 2LQ To 9 January
then Seckford Theatre Burkitt Road Woodbridge IP12 4JN 12-23 January 2010.
Mon-Sat 7.45pm Mat Wed, Sat & 22, 24, 28-30 Dec 4.15pm except 24 Dec 2.30pm, 13, 20 Jan 3.30pm.
no performance 25 Dec, 11 Jan.
no evening performance 24 Dec.
Runs 2hr 20min One interval.
TICKETS: 01473 211498 (Mon-Fri 10am-2pm).
www.easternangles.co.uk
Review: Timothy Ramsden 2 December.
Reviewer despairs as audience-members have a rollicking good time.
Another year, another Eastern Angles comedy based on a supposedly serious genre. Except this year they have engaged another writer, and gone for an author rather than a type: Jane Austen, largely as seen in screen adaptations. So, this year it’s costume drama – which is usually all costume and no drama.
Brendan Murray’s script rarely lives up to the inspiration of its title, though including some nifty lyrics and a running gag about dragoons that makes for a neat conclusion. That apart it might as well be pantomime of the double-entendre sort, with heavy-handed in-references to the fact that this is a theatrical performance.
What might be light and witty once or twice becomes wearisomely heavy-handed when pounded out through the show. No point getting interested in story or characters; they’re only there to set-up another laugh. Or supposed laugh (though many in the audience chortled and guffawed while I sat glumly sinking into a realisation things were never going to get any better).
Mr Knightly (standing-in from Emma for Mr Darcy from TV’s Pride and Prejudice has a penchant for self-dunking. Oh how supposedly comical to see his shirt soaking body clingingly again (he’s the one should be called Fitz-Tightly). Servant Betsy lusts after drying his torso each time – what a perennial hoot - while, in a burst of subtlety, Knightly is matched by characters named – wait for it – Daley and – would you expect it? – Weakly. Oh, tra-la-la. Oh, ho-ho-ho.
A good cast is wasted on this imbecility – and a very good writer. Brendan Murray is among the best writers for young people in Britain and while this is clearly a different audience, he could surely produce something far better if not bound by Angles’ winter format, which as a Suffolk theatre tradition should be honoured in the breach rather than the observance. It would take a Stoppard or Alan Bennett to make something of the format.
Greg Wagland enjoys the panto-dame role, but generally the acting’s best when least affected, as in Sophie Steer as the all-purpose Austen heroine or Penny Lamport’s generic servant and self-appointed anti-smut virus-guard.
Mrs Bonnet/Old Soldier/Herr Beethoven/Doctor Pemberly: Sally-Ann Burnett.
Lizzie Bonnet: Sophie Steer.
Lucy Bonnet/Beggar/Fanny Fitz-Tightly: Vera Chok.
Betsy: Penny Lamport.
Reverend Weakly/Lady Kitty Fitz-Tightly/Mr Daly: Greg Wagland.
Lottie Bonnet/Captain Knightly: William Belchambers.
Director: Ivan Cutting.
Designer/Costume: Jessica Worrall.
Lighting/Sound: Penny Griffin.
Composer/musical arranger: Richard Taylor.
Assistant director: Samuel Webb.
2009-12-06 10:56:31