Play On!

19th-22nd November 2008
West Cliff Theatre, Clacton-on-Sea.

Clacton Amateur Dramatic Society. Act I 42m. Act II (and III) 73m.

A company of local amateurs try desperately to rehearse a creaky murder mystery, in spite of the nagging interventions of its author.
Unnervingly realistic in its rehearsal scenes (clearly based on a few of the playwright's experiences), and come the third act turning into complete farce - as the play-within-the-play is performed - this slightly lazily written behind-the-scenes theatrical spoof is played quite straight for the most part, with performances that beautifully capture the essence of their recognisable characters, and suits this group well, making good use of the large West Cliff Theatre.

I almost found it too painful to laugh anymore - most amateur thespians will relate to many of the jokes.

w: Rick Abbot.

d: Bob Sangwell.
s: Brenda White-Robinson, Barbara Tyrrel, Kathryn Cavender, Fred Gregory, Bridget Gregory, Jane Parkinson, Gary Huggins, Graham Tippett, Tracy Lias, Charlotte White-Robinson.

Parental Wisdom

The dreadful case of Baby P is hopefully an extreme instance of such torrid abuse, but it does highlight the inexplicable way that some parents treat their children. On several occasions I have seen mothers (not fathers, although I don't include stepfathers here) threaten verbal or physical punishment on their young ones in the street, for seemingly the most innocuous of reasons. For the vast majority of these cases, the children grow up to be just as belligerent and ill-mannered as their parents.

The social services can only be responsible up to a point. I don't go as far as some people who are saying that the death penalty should be introduced for such offenders, although I can understand the strength of such feelings.

Reviewing One's Goals

I see an Ipswich player has received a wrap on the knuckles (deserved perhaps) for celebrating a goal scored in the 2-0 win at Blackpool on Saturday by giving a alleged "handcuffs" gesture in solidarity with a friend of his who has been sentenced to jail for killing a child in a drunk driving accident.

If you look at the clip, it could also just as easily be interpreted as an "X-Factor" gesture, which another (Brentford) footballer has also been seen to make recently.

Knowing Ipswich Town FC as well as I do, I'm trusting that they are a lot more sensible about things than the BBC are when it comes to meting out punishments. Besides all that, why can't footballers just celebrate a goal by acknowledging the congratulations and then going back to the centre spot?

Someone Who'll Watch Over Me

(Headgate Theatre, Colchester.
Oct 29th-Nov 1st 2008)

Chameleon's Web. Act I 97m. Act II 55m.

Experiences of three hostages held in captivity in Lebanon during the 1980s.
Interesting and engrossing if rather long study of mental and physical hardship, very well crafted with only the occasional slip of theatrical convention into the realistic setting, and with some intense pauses, in between the exchanges of three very disparate characters.

w: Frank McGuinness.

d: Suzanne Bailey, Lindsay Nieuwenhuis.
s: Colin Downer, Will Parrick, Kevin Topple.
set design: Steve Peeling.