This was my first ever visit to the Green Room Theatre in Wilmslow. It has seats on three sides surrounding the performance space, so you are close to the action wherever you sit. Thank you to the volunteers for their welcome and help. There is a nice bar area and very comfortable seating in the auditorium.
The set design was simple but effective – a lounge with chairs arranged in a hemisphere, an upright piano, an occasional table and sideboard plus a small staircase leading up to the (unseen) bedroom. The lounge in question is in the house owned by Arnold (Ian Fensome) which he shares with his elderly mother – she is holed up in the bedroom, so we never meet her. The play is set in the present day.
As usual, Arnold has asked young and impressionable Ilsa (Jessica Trimble) to look after his mother because he is hosting the next meeting of the writers' group he is the somewhat reluctant chairman of. The group's participants are a motley crew of people with significantly varying characters and a modicum of talent.
First, there is Grace (Josie Harrison) who is working on a children's book and has brought some illustrations with her. She is nervous about sharing her endeavours though, particularly as her former head teacher, the cantankerous Brevis (Charlie Cook), is also a member of the writers' circle. As we find out, composing musicals with another friend on odd subjects is Brevis's forte; his latest project is loosely based on 'The Pilgrim's Progress', no less, and he gets the chance to share part of the awful opening song.
After getting himself in a muddle over the seating arrangements, Arnold is then dismayed by the fact that a number of expected members don't turn up. Nevertheless, we are quickly introduced to the rest: sci-fi aficionado and conspiracy theorist Clem (Alex Newman), Vivi (Carys Jones), who is furiously penning detective novels and Jess (Victoria Johnson), a farmer who is doing plenty of historical research but is struggling to start writing her favoured genre, a period romance novel. When it's his turn to share, Clem hands out a synopsis of his latest story – this is necessary as it's a bit confusing and reading part of chapter 8 definitely doesn't help anyone present understand it!
The first act is fully focused on what becomes a rather slapdash and not very successful meeting. It was pretty funny but a bit on the slow side, especially the section where Ilsa serves coffee and mince pies to the assembled throng (the action takes place 10 days before Christmas). Although this is an atypical Ayckbourn play in terms of its setting, it is wordy and perhaps would have benefited from a little trimming or speeding up of the dialogue and banter between the actors. However, the characters are clearly drawn; everyone was on point playing their roles consistently, so they are to be commended for that.
The sound and lighting effects were well put together. Costumes and props were good and appropriate to what unfolded after the interval. In order not to spoil the plot, I will not say anything about the (completely different) second act but it was very well received and thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. In conclusion, I can certainly recommend the production which runs nightly until Saturday June the 18th, starting at 7:45pm.
Reviewer - David Swift
on - 15.6.22
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