Chase Me, Comrade

The Guild Theatre Rockdale's production of Ray Cooney's Chase Me, Comrade had the audience laughing from the moment it started to the end. The energy and timing was right on the mark throughout the play with usage of doors, windows, stairs and walkway perfectly choreographed and directed by Glenda Kenyon.

The play is set in London, in 1964, in the home of Commander Rimmington and his family. The set, designed by Glenda Kenyon and Greg Kenyon was true to form and very believable, along with the properties of many ships, a porthole window, a bear rug and a bell.

The story centres around Russian Ballet dancer Petrovyan (Samuel Chapman), who decides to defect while performing in London. Samuel played the role convincingly - while not speaking English and continually dancing around the stage, the audience understood him. Petrovyan was assisted in his escape by Alice Courtney (Koren Chambers), a member of the London Ballet who hid him in Commander Rimmington's (Greg Kenyon) boot without his knowledge, then enlisted the aid of the Commander’s daughter (her friend) Nancy Rimmington (Jessica James-Moody). Both girls worked brilliantly together. Next enters Nancy's 7th fiancée, Gerry Buss (Douglas Spafford) who stood out for me. Gerry just wants to please Nancy. Along comes Mr Laver (TJ Ross), who reminded me of Mr Bean, with top secret documents that needed to be decoded by the Commander.

While all this is happening, reporters have tracked down Petrovyan and are staked outside, making his escape impossible. Constable Pulford (Jordan Kenyon) arrives after a neighbour’s complaint about a man in tights seen going into Koskins’ (Robert Mason) gardener’s cottage. Then the Commander’s wife Janet Rimmington (Margaret Short) arrives home, and there’s a visit by neighbour Bobby Hargreaves (Tim Dennis). Mayhem proceeds, players pretending to be someone else, getting stuck in chimneys, falling out of windows, with non-stop chases going everywhere, 

Lighting and Sound by Peggy Leto was spot on.

Do yourself a favour and have a night out of pure fun with Chase Me, Comrade.

Veronica Bray-Saville