Crieff Drama Supper Theatre review by Fiona Murchie
In celebrating their 20th anniversary, Crieff Drama Group has once again triumphed with their annual supper theatre. This year they opted for two entertaining one act comedies. Instead of using the traditional proscenium arch at Academy Hall, the directors chose to add a lower ‘apron’ to the stage which brought the action much closer to the audience. In addition, this gave them considerably more space and scope for some excellent visual comedy.
This was especially evident during the first play, ‘All By Myself’ by Robert Scott, excellently directed by Neil Combe. As the play opens, main character Larry is bemoaning the loneliness and tedium of having been a castaway for 7 long years. During his Groundhog Day monologue, Tom Inglis, complete with parrot, drifted drolly past on the main stage. Larry gradually comes to realise that not only is he not alone on the island, he never has been; his fellow castaways have been watching him all along and nicknamed him ‘Larry the Loner’. As Larry, Martin Dew successfully took the audience through a wide range of emotions from his initial pique to excitement that, if they work together, they might be able to escape, until finally, he decides that he prefers his own company and waves them off. The supporting cast of Fiona Wellstood, Mike Owens, Alan Blair and Tom Inglis were all superbly convincing. Credit must be given for the excellent period-style costumes and to the visual gags, such as the photo of Glen Miller and the Thomas Cook brochure.
Directed by Jane Drysdale, ‘The Fat Lady Sings in Little Grimley’ is the third play in a trilogy about a failing amateur dramatic group. This time the threat comes from a rival group which has been established by chairman Gordon’s ex-wife. John Cummings was brilliant as the cuckolded husband determined to wrest back control and suitably unkind to his stooge, poor, meek Joyce, convincingly played by Helen Day, who has only ever wanted to put on a musical. An elaborately complicated scheme to spike the guns of their rivals descends into farce and, as their duplicity is uncovered, the group must face the consequences. Janice Bourelle and Neil Combe were both first-rate in their roles of Margaret, wannabe leading lady, and hapless, banana-eating Bernard who winds up wearing his trombone. As the play ends, it is revealed that Gordon has thrown in the towel and joined the opposition.
Between the plays, Gourlays served another excellent two course meal. As always, the success of the plays depends on plenty of backstage support, including lighting, sound, costume, makeup, props and staging, as well as the quietly efficient front of house crew. Based on this superb production, there is plenty more to come from Crieff Drama Group. It has just been announced that they will be performing their Xmas show for younger children on 30th November in Strathearn Artspace for the lights switch-on, and on April 16, 17 and 18 next year in Academy Hall they will be presenting ‘Quartet’ the witty and poignant comedy by Ronald Harwood.
In celebrating their 20th anniversary, Crieff Drama Group has once again triumphed with their annual supper theatre. This year they opted for two entertaining one act comedies. Instead of using the traditional proscenium arch at Academy Hall, the directors chose to add a lower ‘apron’ to the stage which brought the action much closer to the audience. In addition, this gave them considerably more space and scope for some excellent visual comedy.
This was especially evident during the first play, ‘All By Myself’ by Robert Scott, excellently directed by Neil Combe. As the play opens, main character Larry is bemoaning the loneliness and tedium of having been a castaway for 7 long years. During his Groundhog Day monologue, Tom Inglis, complete with parrot, drifted drolly past on the main stage. Larry gradually comes to realise that not only is he not alone on the island, he never has been; his fellow castaways have been watching him all along and nicknamed him ‘Larry the Loner’. As Larry, Martin Dew successfully took the audience through a wide range of emotions from his initial pique to excitement that, if they work together, they might be able to escape, until finally, he decides that he prefers his own company and waves them off. The supporting cast of Fiona Wellstood, Mike Owens, Alan Blair and Tom Inglis were all superbly convincing. Credit must be given for the excellent period-style costumes and to the visual gags, such as the photo of Glen Miller and the Thomas Cook brochure.
Directed by Jane Drysdale, ‘The Fat Lady Sings in Little Grimley’ is the third play in a trilogy about a failing amateur dramatic group. This time the threat comes from a rival group which has been established by chairman Gordon’s ex-wife. John Cummings was brilliant as the cuckolded husband determined to wrest back control and suitably unkind to his stooge, poor, meek Joyce, convincingly played by Helen Day, who has only ever wanted to put on a musical. An elaborately complicated scheme to spike the guns of their rivals descends into farce and, as their duplicity is uncovered, the group must face the consequences. Janice Bourelle and Neil Combe were both first-rate in their roles of Margaret, wannabe leading lady, and hapless, banana-eating Bernard who winds up wearing his trombone. As the play ends, it is revealed that Gordon has thrown in the towel and joined the opposition.
Between the plays, Gourlays served another excellent two course meal. As always, the success of the plays depends on plenty of backstage support, including lighting, sound, costume, makeup, props and staging, as well as the quietly efficient front of house crew. Based on this superb production, there is plenty more to come from Crieff Drama Group. It has just been announced that they will be performing their Xmas show for younger children on 30th November in Strathearn Artspace for the lights switch-on, and on April 16, 17 and 18 next year in Academy Hall they will be presenting ‘Quartet’ the witty and poignant comedy by Ronald Harwood.