August 17, 2006
The storyline of Thomas’s enduring farce, like most farces, is easy to follow. Two Oxford student friends are smitten by two young ladies, but can’t spend time alone with the girls unless there is a female chaperone present (this is 1892!). But not to worry, because Charley’s longlost aunt is coming from Brazil to visit. So, assignations are planned and must be kept – it’s so exciting – but the aunt doesn’t turn up! Again, don’t worry, because another student friend is rehearsing an amdram show, and has a female outfit handy… Lord Fancourt Babberley reluctantly agrees to ‘be’ Charley’s Aunt, with the imaginable consequences, especially when the real aunt arrives.
Nick Caldecott’s ‘aunt’ has sublime energy and timing. Patrick Ryecart as Colonel Chesney (father of one of the two boys) and Christopher Good as Stephen Spettigue (father of one of the two girls) add strong, highly professional support; Russell Dixon (the ‘scout’) is suitably disreputable, and Christina Greatrex, as the real aunt, has all the necessary style, poise and charm to make us believe that she is very rich and from Brazil (‘where the nuts come from!’).
Timothy Sheader’s slick production has terrific atmosphere, and an ever-present feel of music hall, from private jokes to the audience, to an old-fashioned proscenium arch frame for for the set, and each act starts with a character walking across the front of the stage with a predictive motto on a placard. There seem to be dozens of entrance points, a good few chases across, around and behind the stage, lots of double takes and pratfalls aplenty. Jonathan Fensom’s design complements the style perfectly, and Tim Mitchell’s lighting brings out the best in the set, the lovely costumes and the action.
The production is at its best during the manic, fast-moving set pieces, and I did laugh aloud regularly, which is rare. I wanted the slower, more reflective sections of the play to have more wistfulness and depth; I wanted the two young men to be really infatuated, rather than having a bit of a caper, which is what they seemed to be doing. You may say, “Yes, but this is farce!”, but I believe that, for farce to really touch us, it needs to show us how silly we all can be, especially when we think think we are at our most intensely serious.
Overall, it’s a great night out, and a high-class production, performed by a strong cast. I never even thought about looking at my watch!
Nick Caldecott’s ‘aunt’ has sublime energy and timing. Patrick Ryecart as Colonel Chesney (father of one of the two boys) and Christopher Good as Stephen Spettigue (father of one of the two girls) add strong, highly professional support; Russell Dixon (the ‘scout’) is suitably disreputable, and Christina Greatrex, as the real aunt, has all the necessary style, poise and charm to make us believe that she is very rich and from Brazil (‘where the nuts come from!’).
Timothy Sheader’s slick production has terrific atmosphere, and an ever-present feel of music hall, from private jokes to the audience, to an old-fashioned proscenium arch frame for for the set, and each act starts with a character walking across the front of the stage with a predictive motto on a placard. There seem to be dozens of entrance points, a good few chases across, around and behind the stage, lots of double takes and pratfalls aplenty. Jonathan Fensom’s design complements the style perfectly, and Tim Mitchell’s lighting brings out the best in the set, the lovely costumes and the action.
The production is at its best during the manic, fast-moving set pieces, and I did laugh aloud regularly, which is rare. I wanted the slower, more reflective sections of the play to have more wistfulness and depth; I wanted the two young men to be really infatuated, rather than having a bit of a caper, which is what they seemed to be doing. You may say, “Yes, but this is farce!”, but I believe that, for farce to really touch us, it needs to show us how silly we all can be, especially when we think think we are at our most intensely serious.
Overall, it’s a great night out, and a high-class production, performed by a strong cast. I never even thought about looking at my watch!
