Plenty of laughs

Press, 17 April 1978, Page 6

Plenty of laughs

By HOWARD MCNAUGHTON “Something to Talk About,” by Eden Phi 11potts. Directed by Alison Alston for the Elmwood Players Theatre Restaurant; Canterbury Inn Wine Cellar, Mandeville Street, April 16 and 23. “The solid steel is yielding!” exclaims one of the aristocratic onlookers w'no have gathered to watch their family safe being burgled on Christmas Eve, and who ply The Wolf (their cat-burglar) with whisky, cigars, and Christmas carols throughout the operation. Eventually, of course, the solid steel yields before the full panoply of Black and

Decker’s resources, and the Wolf busies himself with what turns out to be the climactic central action of this farce — disentangling a string of “priceless pearls” from the pom-pom on the top of his blackguardly balaclava. Unscripted and unexpected stage business is, of course, often good value in a farce, and in this case James Marsh (the Wolf) and the rest of the cast extricated themselves well, i but without capitalising oni the mishap to the full. How-; ever, the line I quoted will; stay in my memory for years : as an epitome of bad plav-, writing: how can any drama-; tist expect an actor to speculate on solid steel yielding i when he is addressing a ply-1

wood prop which has been quivering on the brink of self-demolition ever since the start of the play? Similarly, gem-studded solid gold bishop’s croziers are about as common in theatre wardrobes as solid steel safes to keep them in, and yet this playwright expects his actors ro enthuse over the genuineness of the article for several minutes.

The only way to cope with such material is to do it tongue in cheek — make a parodv of farce — and this cast had not quite enough confidence to go that far. Nevertheless, the well wined and dined audience last even, ing found plenty of laughs in the 30-minute play, and with a little more rehearsal the cast will do even better next week.