30th September Not quite a night at the opera


On Wednesday night I had a little solo jolly 'into town' as the locals would say to watch The Clothes They Stood Up In, at a packed Playhoue Theatre. 

Based on a novella by Alan Bennett, one that had been adapted and extended by its lead actor Adrian Scarsborough, it focussed on the aftermath of a night at the opera when mild-mannered couple Maurice and Rosemary Ransome open their front door to discover their flat completely is empty. From light bulbs to carpets to toilet paper, even their chicken casserole has been stolen! They have been robbed or is it burgled, we never find out precisely which, leaving the couple with literally the clothes they stood up in.

The theatre was very busy, crammed full of Alan Bennett afficionadoes, especially as despite being written some 25 years ago this is the first time the work has been transferred to the stage. And Adrian Scarborough has done a great  job of translating Bennett’s words, managing to capture his trademark dry observational humour infused with more than a touch of poignancy as the theft causes the Ransoms to confront their relationship and their lives. 

His focuseed on his job as a soliciter and state of the art Hi Fi system, hers seemign full of regrets about missed oportunities. Lives perhaps best summed up in the realisation that they are a couple who own 12 trifle bowls and yet never host anyone for dinner.

With a suporting cast of three playing a variety of exaggerated but instantly recognisable characters, including a shopkeeper, policeman, lady in the launderette, OTT councellor, an insurance assessor a literature loving police traineee fresh out of college, a warehouse man, a fitness fanatic neighbour and very irritating telephone receptionist, Scarbourough and his co star Sophie Thompson are provided with the backdrop to explore their lives of hopes, dreams, dead ends and a possible chance to start all over again.

It was a very good production, with a clever stage design and use of lighting, only marred by the audiences inclination to laugh at everything whether it was funny or not. But then I guess some folks will laugh at anything.




 

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