Bridgnorth Players' theatre trip 18th February 2009
On Wednesday a small group of us went to see Agatha Christie's SPIDER'S WEB at The Grand, Wolverhampton.The performance was put on by The Agatha Christie Theatre Company. There were several familiar faces from TV and film - I recognised Bruce Montague (Leonard in Butterflies and much else).
The action is set in 1952 and the period was convincingly portrayed by the Christie characters, their names, dialogue, expressions, manners and assumptions - the stepdaughter schoolgirl was constantly hungry and supper was cocoa, chocolate biscuits, chocolate mousse and something else equally sugary - no concerns about 5-a-day or other dietary issues here - although who was eating when they shouldn't have been was one of the clues. And the '50's atmosphere was further captured by the set and outfits. I would love to have gone backstage and had a closer look at the clothes - especially Clarissa's roses dress - very Lulu Guinness.
All the acting was very strong, but I'll sketch a couple.
Melanie Gutteridge played the heroine Clarissa who is nothing if not a paragon of virtue. But so very sunny and engaging you can't help but like her. She's the glamorous champion and essential chum of Pippa her schoolgirl stepdaughter and possible manslaughter 'victim' played by Karen Elliot. Karen Elliot is a grown-up in real life - in her early 20's which I found amazing - but as Pippa looks and acts (1950's style) 12-13 years. Plaits, woolly socks, woolly dressing gown and consoled with a dish of chocolate mousse. Cool! No teenage breaking out here or getting on Facebook.
Jeremy Warrender (TV - Soldier Soldier) plays bad Ben Nealon who .......
A thoroughly enjoyable evening and those who didn't come missed a treat. Perhaps next time we'll organise a charabanc!
Maggie Allen
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment