June 6, 2010
The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard is a murder mystery farce in which the audience follows the stories of a group of people trapped in a country manor and also that of the critics watching the play. It works both as a simple farce and parody and as a more challenging exploration of the nature of reality. This production is performed outdoors in the gardens of New College, which is an odd choice for a play set in a theatre. I also felt that not seating the critics among the audience was a missed opportunity. Having said that, the gardens offered a wonderful backdrop to the play and the slightly unpredictable nature of outdoor theatre added to the production’s charm – the interest of a pair of ducks was especially amusing.
The cast delivered a solid and enjoyable performance, though I felt at times the characterisation lacked confidence a little. While the action took a little while to get going, the final third was extremely funny and performed with gusto – it would have been nice to see that level of energy throughout. These are small quibbles however, and some of the performances were consistently good - Edmund White was hilarious as Major Magnus Muldoon, and I also liked Rob Mcinerney as Birdboot the critic – his realisation of the plot twist was genuinely shocking.
This was an extremely likable production of a very funny play, performed in idyllic surroundings; the audience clearly enjoyed the show a lot and the atmosphere was lovely. It’s possible to come into the grounds an hour early with a picnic and drinks, which I would recommend, as it really is a beautiful space, and tickets also get you entrance to the college grounds. Overall, this play is an extremely pleasant way to spend an evening or a sunny afternoon.
The cast delivered a solid and enjoyable performance, though I felt at times the characterisation lacked confidence a little. While the action took a little while to get going, the final third was extremely funny and performed with gusto – it would have been nice to see that level of energy throughout. These are small quibbles however, and some of the performances were consistently good - Edmund White was hilarious as Major Magnus Muldoon, and I also liked Rob Mcinerney as Birdboot the critic – his realisation of the plot twist was genuinely shocking.
This was an extremely likable production of a very funny play, performed in idyllic surroundings; the audience clearly enjoyed the show a lot and the atmosphere was lovely. It’s possible to come into the grounds an hour early with a picnic and drinks, which I would recommend, as it really is a beautiful space, and tickets also get you entrance to the college grounds. Overall, this play is an extremely pleasant way to spend an evening or a sunny afternoon.