TAKE a food loving vicar forced on a diet by a domineering sister, a famous TV star trying to hide from a love obsessed rock-chick, a husband hunting widow and an irate Bishop, mix them all together and you get Thornury Methodists Players latest comedy production, I’ll Get My Man.

As always, front of house was a warm and welcoming experience before the curtain opened. Director, Mandy Clapp, had created an impressive, well designed set that didn’t miss a detail and helped take us back to the sixties. Well executed sound and lighting from Phil Makepeace also added to the atmosphere.

Farces written in the 1960s can be very much of their time and this script does have its dated elements. However, it still contains plenty of funny action and lines, so with good direction and acting you can have a great show, and that’s what we got.

Country Vicar, Arthur Humphrey was well brought to life by Chris Dixon-Lewis. The contrast between this quiet soul (who really only wants a hearty breakfast) and Alison Bagnall’s portrayal of a prissy, bullying sister, Harriette, was a good one and brought plenty of laughs.

Constantly trying to thwart Harriette’s plans to make her brother thinner was housekeeper, Mrs Carter, played by Gill Leaper. This was the stand out performance of this production with some fine character acting. Gill’s movement, expression and timing brought the maximum out of the comedy and it was a real pleasure to see her on stage again.

Richard Crabtree gave a hardworking performance as TV star, Peter Graham, tired of attention from adoring women and hiding from popstar, Pixie Potter. His interactions with Mrs Carter were particularly funny and he played the role convincingly. There was also plenty to smile about in the performances of saucy, merry widow, Winifred Barrington-Locke, played by Sue Lewis, and Pixie (I’ll get my man) Potter, played by Penny Sewell. Both characters came out well with Sue’s facial expressions bringing out her mischief and Penny’s rendition of her ‘hit record’ bringing great applause.

Shelagh Fagan was hilarious as Josephine de Brissac – a lady convinced she was a Christian slave in a past life and looking for reincarnated love. Without confident, clever acting this is a role that could beggar belief, but Shelagh delivered brilliantly and commanded the pace on stage.

Steve Wright did well as the outraged Bishop of Lax. He almost became a broken man when faced with a vicarage full of eccentric disguised or distressed people, with the press constantly on the phone and a newspaper photographer, played by Bay Dimond, who has a knack of taking the most embarrassing pictures.

Director Mandy Clapp and the Methodist Players gave us a really enjoyable fun night out and it is no surprise that audience numbers were good

 

by Tony Domaille