Living Together
Playwright Sir Alan Ayckbourn has penned over eighty full-length plays in his long career. He wrote a trilogy of plays, called The Norman Conquests in 1973. Although designed to be watched together, the three plays stand alone, each taking place over the same weekend, in the same location, but from a different viewpoint. Living Together, the second play in the trilogy, takes place in an English living-room in the mid 1970s.
St. Jude’s Players are celebrating their 75th year in community theatre. It is only fitting that they entrusted director Les Zetlein to front their first production of the year. Zetlein has been involved with St. Jude’s on and off the stage for 40 years. He has assembled an experienced cast to bring to life their latest production.
As the audience enter, we can soak in the set on an open stage. St. Jude’s Don Oakley wears many caps, but most impressive is his role as set designer. Oakley, along with his construction crew, have put together a warm, cosy, and believable living-room of the 1970s.
The plays centres around Norman, played by Simon Lancione, who is married to Ruth (Rebecca Butler), however he has travelled alone to his mother-in-law’s home to rekindle a dalliance he had the previous Christmas with Ruth’s single sister Annie played by Carla Hardie. Add to the mix Annie and Ruth’s brother Reg (Adrian Heness) and his wife Sarah (Rose Harvey), who have come to offer respite to Annie who has been taking care of their sick mother. The cast is rounded out by Larry Waller, who plays neighbourhood vet Tom, who is infatuated with Annie.
As lives intertwine there is much mayhem to be had over the space of two days. Lancione as selfish lothario Norman plays his part well, with a slight hint of Rik Mayall-esque swagger. Butler, as his long-suffering wife, does well to show her disgust, frustration, and eventual over-trusting nature. Heness, as board-game inventor Reg, is hilarious despite the constant bickering and nagging of his wife, played with an acid-tongue by Harvey. Waller as neighbour Tom does well to capture his character’s dimwit. His likeability is what makes this role successful. Hardie as Annie is clearly an unhappy woman who lashes out at Tom regularly with her disparaging remarks.
This cast work well to feed of each-other’s nuances. A fast-paced delivery from all and layered characterisations displayed excellent comic-timing, which allowed the audience to delight in the absurdity of the plot.
St Jude’s Players are known for high production values and their latest play is no different. This is a fun and frivolous night at the theatre.
Kerry Cooper
Photographer: Michael Selge.
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