Time of my life - Norwich players

Date seen: 2nd June 2012

Venue: Maddermarket theatre, Norwich. Down a small alley in the city centre. Perfectly ordinary downstairs. When you go to the gallery, there are armchairs, chez lounges and a huge dolls house as well as traditional theatre seating. Random but I loved it.

Set: Terrific right down to the plants and brickwork. I liked the set being on two levels. Very effective.

Costumes: All fine with Maureen getting more outrageous as the play went on.

Performances: Gerry (David Newham) - Nice manner. Steady rather than spectacular, I never really got the once powerful man.
Laura (Susan Seddon) - At last I've seen an actress nail this part. Brilliantly cold without appearing to be so if that makes sense. Superb performance.
Glyn (Max Rudd) - Very solid but I wish he hadn't spent so much time staring at the floor when he was speaking.
Stephanie (Angela Rowe) - A performance that grew on me. I loved her transformation from downtrodden to happy and successful.
Adam (Tom Girvin) - All actors I ever see play this role seem to look like this actor. Very nicely played though.
Maureen (Laura Landamore) - A very confident and likeable performance. Could even have afforded to be more outrageous as we go right back in time.
Waiter(s) (Trevor Burton) - Absolutely fabulous. Clearly enjoyed every moment and was a pleasure to watch.

Summary: A thoroughly professional performance all round and as competently played as any professional production of this play that I've seen. A quirky theatre rounded off an enjoyable afternoon.

Communicating doors - Knebworth Amateur theatre company

Date seen: 25th May 2012

Venue:  Knebworth village hall - A basic village hall with a small area serving refreshments

Set: Extremely good with a great balcony, well set bathroom and the most impressive Communicating door I've seen.

Costumes: All fine and in keeping

Plot: This cracking comedy-thriller begins with Reece Wells, a dying old businessman, attempting to ease his guilty conscience. He calls upon Poupée Désir , a leather-clad dominatrix, to witness the signing of a statement in which he confesses to being involved in the murders of his two former wives, Jessica and Ruella. But when his ruthless business partner, Julian who is also implicated by the statement, finds out, Poupée ('it's French for doll!' she insists) escapes her fate by fleeing through the communicating door and finds herself transported back to the same hotel suite twenty years earlier.

The plot sees the 'specialist sexual consultant' confronted with Reece's second wife, Ruella, on the eve of her murder. Can Poupée alter the course of events and save Ruella? And can Ruella go back a further twenty years and prevent Jessica, Reece's first wife, from being killed, too?

Set in three different time zones, 1990, 2010 and 2030, this clever and complex play has you on the edge of your seat throughout.

Performances:
Reece (Austin Willett) - Best as the final incarnation of Reece. As the infirm Reece, he was way too mobile and never appeared to be at death's door. His brief appearance as young Reece was hilarious for the wig alone.
Jessica (Zoe Baynes-Davidge) - A nice performance with her posh countess performance particularly endearing.
Ruella (Frances Farrugia) - A difficult part to play, this actress did a sterling job. Suitable amounts of bewilderment, excitement  and confusion were shown although she seemed to run out of steam towards the end of the play.
Julian (Martin Willoughby) - Okay but not nearly threatening or sinister. I neverbought him as a murderer.
Poopay (Lynsey Gammage) - Excellent! Really caught Poopay's vulnerability. It's so easy to play this character as a real hard-case, this performance drew out every dimension of a complicated character.
Harold (Stephen Magona) - I believe it was this actor's first appearance on stage. A nice effort but the inexperience showed. So many wonderful lines that Harold has were thrown away and were completely missed by the audience that didn't know the play.

Summary: The women outperformed the men, but the whole company had put in a huge amount of work. Technically excellent and the actors were really solid. A very enjoyable performance of a play that is close to my heart.