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Review
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Society :
Loughton Amateur Dramatic Society
Production : A Fine Bright Day Today – Philip Goulding
Date : 30th October 2021
Venue : Lopping Hall
Report by : Paul Daynes |
I was looking forward very much to returning to
Lopping Hall after this long enforced break to see live drama again in
Loughton. What hit me as strange was that after just a few minutes it
was like we’d never been away. There was the familiar buzz in the bar,
friendly faces all around and people pleased to meet up once again.
Thank you for gathering us together and presenting this delightful
well-crafted play.
Choice of play
I suspect most of the audience wouldn’t be familiar with A Fine
Bright Day Today, I was one of them. So, I bought the script a few weeks
ago and settled down to read it. With a tea break in the interval, I
read it in one sitting and loved everything about it. What a good find.
It seems to make good sense to go for a small cast play during these
socially distancing times, but of course that brings the added pressure
of relying on a few people to keep well. No chance of someone stepping
in at the last moment or doubling up. I was sorry Jean couldn’t be
present for the performances but these are strange times.
Front of House
I always like the LADS shirts. It helps the audience pick out a
helper and gives the impression of a large company with many members all
willing to play their part. We always get a warm welcome from the FoH
crew, it’s now such a feature. I liked the mobile phone announcement
which unfortunately continues to be necessary. I could see that it may
interrupt any pre-performance mood but not in this case.
Programme
At last, a programme I could read without a magnifier! Thank you for
using a readable font in a colour that worked, and pictures I could see.
It sounds basic but it is good to see that you are a society that fully
understands the importance of a readable programme in a theatre setting.
I would have liked to know what the scene change music was, we did hear
a lot of it after all.
Set and Staging
As I turned to the stage having found my seat I actually said ‘wow’.
It looked as good as a West End play. The depths and angles gave added
interest and the set dressing made the look and feel just like someone’s
home. Fridges, kitchen cupboards, running water (well done) and even a
copy of Delia Smith’s Complete Cookery Course which was so Margaret. If
this was on Airbnb I’d take it for a week. All well-constructed as I
would expect of LADS. Please keep photos if you wish to enter the NODA
scenic award. One thought on the coastal path was that two flats didn’t
seem enough. Much of the time Milton played his scenes backed by the
orangey/yellow wall of the hall. The lights cast shadow on the wall too.
Perhaps a third flat against the wall would have been better.
Direction
Jean Cooper made the scenes between the three actors flow so
naturally. I was wondering if you choregraphed the moves or workshopped
the piece allowing the actors to stand, sit and move as they saw fit and
what felt natural. That was the impression it gave anyway. One maybe
forgiven for thinking that only two actors on stage most of the time
would be restricted in creating a variety of pictures but this wasn’t
the case. I can imagine that there must have been a very close
collaboration between Director and actors. A four hander I would say. I
suspect lots of coaching came about to bring such excellent performances
and maybe plenty of trying it this way and that until you were all
satisfied. The intimacy achieved on stage would have come from the tone
created by Jean during those evenings rehearsing and it was thus even
more of a shame you couldn’t be with your colleagues for performance. I
do feel for you.
Cast
I am full of admiration for all three of you for even agreeing to
take on such gigantic parts. Parts where you were so exposed. There is
little business in the play to hide behind or even much plot to carry
you through. It was mainly you, your characters and their emotions,
thoughts and feelings. It was your job to keep your audience engaged and
entranced by this situation and you did it superbly with only the script
and the words to pull you through.
Margaret Harvey
Val Jones made Margaret totally believable. It was easy to believe
that this Margaret did live in that house, did work in the store up on
the by-pass, was married to an uncaring Trawlerman and was disappointed
in Rebecca’s choice of partner. So much so that if I came by Lopping
Hall next Thursday I might just find her still there. The look Val
achieved in Margaret in the way she moved, moaned and saw her world gave
the character depth and rigour. The clothes were spot on. Margaret was
not one to look out for next season’s fashion. Well done Liz Adams for
giving Margaret such a drab look at the beginning and a slight
smartening over time. The accent, straight from growing up in the last
house on the row backing onto the moors gave authenticity and was well
maintained and with good diction throughout. I liked the way Val showed
awkwardness and fear when Margaret was taken out of her rather tight
comfort zone. Seeing Milton in his dressing gown achieved a fluster of
note. Her nervousness when going ‘somewhere strange’’ “or talk to people
I don’t know”. Although we didn’t actually witness these events we were
left in no doubt that this was true. Inside her comfort zone Margaret
was always in charge, caring for the kitchen, wiping the table, putting
things away, lids on pots and it gave a good contrast. Val’s delivery
was a pleasure to listen to. Good emphasis when required and shaping the
line to give impact to the meaning. A fine skill. Perhaps the character
development was slightly underplayed as we saw Margaret fall for Milton
or at least the idea of Milton and then “taking the plunge”. Perhaps we
could have seen more turmoil in the challenges she was facing, some
regret when Margaret lets Milton walk out of the door. Maybe another
gear of genuine affection when Milton collapses which makes the
departure even sadder for the audience and less of a surprise when
they’re off up to bed on “you fit then”. Just a thought.
Rebecca Harvey
Lisa Kirby brought great life and energy to the part of Rebecca
Harvey. Rebecca gives the play the hope that changes are available and
shows the courage required to break out of the Harvey household. As she
says “We’re all afraid Mum, we just cover it up the best we can”. Lisa
grabbed this breaking away sentiment really well and despite Margaret’s
fear of losing her, she showed the determination not to be emotionally
blackmailed. The love for Rebecca’s mother was still apparent in the
portrayal and the facilitation of Milton staying in the house was a
lovely example of bringing something different to Margaret who was so
unprepared to seek any kind of change herself. The North East accent was
a great choice and helped place the coastal town somewhere in
Northumbria. North of Blyth before you get to Berwick?. Not an easy
choice of accent unless you come from those parts. If the accent was
adopted for Rebecca, very well done Lisa. Lisa acted with a natural flow
and I believed she had been brought up in that home. The lines fell
naturally and she gave much warmth to the part. Rebecca spoke quicker
than the oldies which is a common characteristic in people of Rebecca’s
age. This gave another differentiation between Lisa and the others. We
heard every word though, even with the pace and accent. One thing to
think about is if you could have found ways to get even more inside this
character. On one or two occasions it felt like you were acting rather
than being Rebecca. Particularly earlier on when sorting through
the box and then later in Act II scene 6. Maybe there could have been
another gear of real frustration and pain that your mother wasn’t
seizing this rare opportunity. A few raised voices. But I’m being very
picky, I really enjoyed your performance and you added greatly to the
overall piece.
Milton Farnsworth
Howard Platt played Milton as a gentle, lovely, easy going fellow
with a side order of humility and bearing a few secrets which he was
happy to divulge when the right moment arrived. We heard of his
“struggle with his own inadequacies” and we saw an awkwardness in his
character at first. There were a number of layers to Milton and we saw
these building over time. A good example of developing a character. The
self-reflecting monologues that Philip Goulding gives Milton I thought
were rather poetical and cleverly structured. Act 1’s description of
Broome echoing Milton’s own situation is only evident in hindsight and
then only for the very attentive. Howard delivered these speeches with
sensitivity bringing out Milton’s philosophy on life with eloquence.
Howard has a lovely tone of voice, easy on the ear and comfortable to be
in the presence of. Perhaps a venture into audio bedtime stories
beckons. I thoroughly enjoyed Milton telling his stories especially the
bees and the accidental wealth, very engaging. Milton appeared
comfortable in his own skin, even confessing to “walking around naked as
a babe” at home. His delight to be in his dressing gown gave plenty of
distress to Margaret. The interaction and relationship between Margaret
and Milton was worthy of note. I did believe they liked each other and
found each other’s company warm and pleasing. There was a lovely ease
between the two actors that welcomed the audience to look on this
blossoming friendship. The duologues were played with real skill. One
thing I would point out to Howard was that at the beginning of the
evening he did have a tendency to move about rather too much. A bit of
‘dancing’ with the upper body didn’t feel natural and gave a sense of
over performing. I suspect this was nerves related because in the final
monologue Act II scene 7 the movement was gone and a stillness and
discipline of gesture enhanced the poetry of the words and didn’t
distract from Goulding’s fine script. Something to be conscious of
perhaps as you develop your fine talent.
Sound and Lighting
The sound effects played a significant part and well done to Andrew
Rogers in collecting the range of birds, cars, music and fighter jets.
All appeared carefully chosen. With 15 different scenes I think we heard
the same or similar piano music 15 times in the scene changes. I started
off at 8 o’clock liking the few bars of music very much, wanting to know
what it was. By the twelfth time I’d had enough. Could you not have used
different pieces of a similar style? This was a good example of having
too much of a good thing.
Scene changes
Some of the many changes seemed to take a long while. I appreciate
the required costume changes take time but with a blackened stage and
that music again it became disengaging. Maybe leave a worker light on. I
think it’s okay for the audience see the change of props or set up for
the next scene.
Summary
This was a great success reliant on a small, dedicated team that
showed real cohesion bringing together a rare performance of a little
known play. Fine collaborative acting on a very good set enhanced by
sound and lighting delivered a play to remember. As Jean Cooper said in
her programme notes’ a gentle, poignant and funny play that was very
well crafted.
Thank you. |
