May 19, 2009
Alphabetical Order may not be as well known as Noises Off but it's every bit as good, particularly here in Christopher Luscombe's new production. It's set in the clippings library of a provincial newspaper, in the mid 70's, where lovable Lucy reigns unhappily over a sea of paper and chaos. She's bombarded, supported and hindered in equal measure by journalists skulking in the basement avoiding their deadlines and looking for quotes, while Geoffrey the messenger brings new papers to cut up and add to the mountains.
Into this scene steps Lesley, the new assistant. She has a penchant for organisation and a compulsion to "get things straightened out". It is the meeting of Lesley and Lucy's ideologies which form the basis of the play, as Lesley attempts to straighten the tangle of relationships and people as well as the library. That and the overshadowing doom as local entities are done away with in favour of centralisation.
The actors are excellent. Imogen Stubbs plays Lucy with charm, so her scattiness is never annoying, just terribly recognisable! Lesley is harder to pull off. She has to do and say some pretty unlikeable things, and Chloe Newsome portrayed her not just driven by logic but bordering on wilfully objectionable, for instance in not answering the phone. The result was that her speech about hating to feel compelled to tidy didn't endear her as much as it might.
The other characters managed beautifully to convey their idiosyncracies quickly and efficiently without resorting to cariacature. John (Johathan Guy Lewis)'s opening speech about the quote he is searching for was very well received, as was the scuttling of Arnold (Gawn Grainger).
Set and costumes are fabulous, as indeed they should be! A hideous 1970s basement has been lovingly recreated, with ceiling tiles, small grubby windows high up at the back and suites of the most beautiful sea-green filing cabinets. A historic lift and central stairwell dominate proceedings, and the mountains and parcels of papers spilling everywhere mean that it's a good thing there are only 7 actors.
It's pretty serious for a comedy, but very funny for a drama, and ends with a great series of twists. I'd recommend it to Frayn fans, and in fact all lovers of thoughtful humour. It passes all too quickly but there's some lovely lines to ring around your head afterwards.
Into this scene steps Lesley, the new assistant. She has a penchant for organisation and a compulsion to "get things straightened out". It is the meeting of Lesley and Lucy's ideologies which form the basis of the play, as Lesley attempts to straighten the tangle of relationships and people as well as the library. That and the overshadowing doom as local entities are done away with in favour of centralisation.
The actors are excellent. Imogen Stubbs plays Lucy with charm, so her scattiness is never annoying, just terribly recognisable! Lesley is harder to pull off. She has to do and say some pretty unlikeable things, and Chloe Newsome portrayed her not just driven by logic but bordering on wilfully objectionable, for instance in not answering the phone. The result was that her speech about hating to feel compelled to tidy didn't endear her as much as it might.
The other characters managed beautifully to convey their idiosyncracies quickly and efficiently without resorting to cariacature. John (Johathan Guy Lewis)'s opening speech about the quote he is searching for was very well received, as was the scuttling of Arnold (Gawn Grainger).
Set and costumes are fabulous, as indeed they should be! A hideous 1970s basement has been lovingly recreated, with ceiling tiles, small grubby windows high up at the back and suites of the most beautiful sea-green filing cabinets. A historic lift and central stairwell dominate proceedings, and the mountains and parcels of papers spilling everywhere mean that it's a good thing there are only 7 actors.
It's pretty serious for a comedy, but very funny for a drama, and ends with a great series of twists. I'd recommend it to Frayn fans, and in fact all lovers of thoughtful humour. It passes all too quickly but there's some lovely lines to ring around your head afterwards.