First
performed in June 2017, this new production of Stop!... The Play is set within
the flexible space at Liverpool’s Hope Street Theatre. The space is ideal, becoming
a studio with tiered seating on one side looking down on a bare rehearsal room.
The play was performed by Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA)
students, graduates and professional actors.
David
Spicer, the writer of this farcical comedy play is well known as a TV panellist
and BBC Radio comedy series writer. He should know a funny line when he hears
it. The friendly audience appeared to enjoy it even if they failed, as I did,
to fully keep up with the deliberately deranged and ever-changing storyline of
the play-within-a-play. Part satire, part farce with a little physical theatre
thrown in, this play provides opportunity for caricatures of every stereotype
in the business and Spicer hams this up to the full.
The play
opens with actors struggling to rehearse a terrible new play with an
inexperienced director Evelyn (Michael Wolf) hanging on to every word and stage
direction in the script. Leading man Hugh (Nicolai Suphammer) and leading lady
Gemma (Katie Hargreaves) struggle with the director, as much as the obvious
plot and staging errors, as opening night draws ever closer. Hildred, an unseen
writer (aren’t they always?), repeatedly sends not so much changes as complete script
rewrites, slashing parts along with Hugh’s hopes and dreams of stardom as he
cries, “I have read the play, Evelyn! I keep reading the play but
the play keeps on changing!”
The
overworked stage manager (Chrissie) played straight throughout by Ane Skarvøy holds this production together, succeeding in
setting up and gaining laughs in her own right. Skarvøy displays the most
potential for comedy, letting the lines do their work and making the most of
her petite physicality and facial expressions. Suphammer and Hargreaves are
their funniest in Act II, where the performance of the new play takes up the
entire second half, as they switch from neurotic in rehearsal to overconfident performance
mode. Mark Sebastian D'lacey (Walter) convinces as an ageing lothario harking
back to his youth (much to the irritation of Hargreaves playing Gemma-playing
his daughter Linda) while trying to remember his lines. Gilda Possibile (Linda)
underplays a little too much in Act I as an experienced, if jaded actor with a
racy past but hits her stride in Act II.
The cast did
remarkably well in steering through the comedy minefield of inappropriate
material including a black, American rapper Kriston (Kai Jolley) replacing a
monkey, homosexuality, 70s-type sexism and trans-gender references. It’s worth
going just to see professional Canadian actor, Jolley perform as he gloriously
raps, acts (straight and gay) and eventually becomes white in a costume that is
a cross between the Village People and Dr Who. Confused? You will be. There’s
even reference to a Meerkat.
The joint
direction by Michael Wolf (who also plays director Evelyn) and Matthew Khan
adds to the chaos leaving the audience wondering if, as within the play-within-the-play,
‘It’s in the stage directions’ actually applies to this production too. The direction
of the tricky voice overlapping speaking scenes worked well but there was too
much anticipation and a lack of surprise from the cast for the comedy to always
successfully land. The inevitable farcical cast entrances and exits pay homage
to the late genre and there is a whole new audience, that has never experienced
(or heard of) the master of farce, Brian Rix, who find this hilarious. There
are as they say no new ideas only new audiences.
With 5
performances from 19 - 22 September, this opening night performance brought by Peridot
Productions would have been better billed as a preview. The pace and energy
will undoubtedly pick up through this short run. It’s a fun play brought to
life with lively characters and hilarious moments
.
Reviewer - Barbara Sherlock
on - 19/9/18
No comments:
Post a Comment