News Review
November 2016 production of
Hayfever
“A production not to be sneezed at” by John Caplen I was fortunate enough to be in the audience for the Friday night performance of the “Masters” Hayfever: Four acquaintances of the Bliss family had been invited to their home in Cookham. Right from the opening scene the Bliss siblings Sorrel and Simon, prove to be shallow, selfish and completely insincere. These traits were shown beautifully by both Kathryn Shirley and Ed Price. The mother of the family Judith is elegant, serene and completely potty. It is soon apparent that the whole world is a stage so why stop acting. The flippancy and coquettish acting portrayed by Sue Sutton reached the audience in a try believable fashion. David Bliss, the head of this dysfunctional family gave John Watson his opportunity to be prickly, yet romantic and this he achieved.
Soon the guests start arriving, each one
treated with contempt and deplorable
manners. The first to arrive is Sandy Tyrell,
sporty, exuberant and well portrayed by
Patrick Carty.
Myra Arundel
then arrives and
her matter of
fact attitude is
soon vented on
the Bliss family
and well
handled by
Sandra Stanley.
The arrival of
Richard
Greatham and
Jackie Coryton complete the guest list
Richard Greatham being a diplomat was
played by Darren O’Connor with great
diplomacy whilst Lucy Wood’s innocence
and vulnerability came across well. The
reluctant Housekeeper, Clara, added to, the
comedy of the play throughout and Trudy
Caplen’s appearance will be long
remembered.
Lighting and sounds, were as usual supplied
by the dynamic duo, Chris and Liz Hall,
whilst the ever diligent support team
provided, set, costumes, props, make-up ,
programmes and front of house,
Altogether a thoroughly good evenings
entertainment steered throughout by the
evergreen John Munson.
John Caplen
Coward’s comedy
also combines neat
symmetry, as each
guest pairs off with
the wrong person,
with slim dialogue in
which every word
falls perfectly into
place.
The Guardian
“
Hay Fever by Noel
Coward
”Of the many plays that have been written
about impossible guests, Coward’s is one of
that select band that deals with nightmare
hosts”
The Guardian Review of Hay Fever
© Detling Players 2016
News Review
November 2016 production of
Hayfever
“A production not to be sneezed at” by John Caplen I was fortunate enough to be in the audience for the Friday night performance of the “Masters” Hayfever: Four acquaintances of the Bliss family had been invited to their home in Cookham. Right from the opening scene the Bliss siblings Sorrel and Simon, prove to be shallow, selfish and completely insincere. These traits were shown beautifully by both Kathryn Shirley and Ed Price. The mother of the family Judith is elegant, serene and completely potty. It is soon apparent that the whole world is a stage so why stop acting. The flippancy and coquettish acting portrayed by Sue Sutton reached the audience in a try believable fashion. David Bliss, the head of this dysfunctional family gave John Watson his opportunity to be prickly, yet romantic and this he achieved.
Soon the guests start arriving, each one treated with contempt and
deplorable manners. The first to arrive is Sandy Tyrell, sporty,
exuberant and well portrayed by Patrick Carty.
Myra Arundel then arrives and her matter of fact attitude is soon
vented on the Bliss family and well handled by Sandra Stanley. The
arrival of Richard Greatham and Jackie Coryton complete the guest
list
Richard Greatham being a diplomat was played by Darren
O’Connor with great diplomacy whilst Lucy Wood’s innocence and
vulnerability came across well. The reluctant Housekeeper, Clara,
added to, the comedy of the play throughout and Trudy Caplen’s
appearance will be long remembered.
Lighting and sounds, were as usual supplied by the dynamic duo,
Chris and Liz Hall, whilst the ever diligent support team provided,
set, costumes, props, make-up , programmes and front of house,
Altogether a thoroughly good evenings entertainment steered
throughout by the evergreen John Munson.
John Caplen
“
Hay Fever by Noel Coward
”Of the many plays that have been written about impossible guests,
Coward’s is one of that select band that deals with nightmare hosts”
The Guardian Review of Hay Fever
©Detling players 2016
