This brilliant play directed by Paul Arends and stage managed by Catherine Flower, is an adaptation of Steph deFerie’s extremely witty play, a fantasy farce, called ‘A Play About A Dragon.’
Comedic plays were initially invented by the Greeks and Romans which Thingwall Players have certainly done justice to. It was beautifully performed from beginning to end. It truly was an absolute joy.
Credit must be given, from the set designer Hayley Jeffers, costume creator Carol Golightly, to dragon designer Gemma Hurst and all the actors, in fact everyone at Thingwall Players who came together and did a sterling job to create this masterful creation. Their comedic timing together with great sound effects and stage presence was sublime.
This witty play carries you off into another time and era, set in the middle-ages, where we meet Morton Montesque's troupe of travelling actors, who happily believe they have volunteered to perform their play about a dragon for King Stanley the Stern, when in fact they have actually volunteered to slay a real dragon!! Oh No, but Oh Yes!!
When they discover their mistake it’s too late to back out, but how can they succeed where so many brave heroes before them have failed… ? so, they hatch a cunning plan, but will it be enough to prevent them becoming dragon food?
They set off on their travels and encounter a nasty scary red dragon, but just as luck would have it, they are fortunate enough to encounter a bookish Prince Pinky who knows all about dragons and the ‘secret of dragon snot,’ a highborn lady disguised as a peasant called Bud, a con woman whose skills come in handy and Lady Gwen with extremely stinky feet, who all unbelievably, sometimes unintentionally and hilariously help them out.
They manage to slay the dragon and save a fair maiden in the process, with plenty of buffoonery and horseplay mixed with excitement, thrills, danger, laughter and true love for three couples along the way, all thrown in for good measure. The audience were emotionally engaged from start to finish with screams of delight, danger or laughing loudly the whole way through.
The props were very effective, especially the red dragon which was very impressively manoeuvred on stage by two stage hands inside it, and it did look imposing and magnificent at the same time. Some of the props were really funny just in themselves, like the two knights who came riding onto the stage astride hobby horses.
This show had everything you need for a family fun-filled evening, I had the most enjoyable night.
The venue, Thingwall Community Centre, is an ideal setting for shows and plays such as this one and it is also well used by the local community for other events.
This show ran from 3rd-5th July and included a matinee on the 5th July.
I would highly recommend you watch this or any other future productions by such dedicated talented performers. Their next production is, A Christmas Carol which is running from 4th-6th December 2025.
Reviewer: Jill Ollerton
On: 5th July 2025
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