Let
Wives Tak Tent
- part
of the 50th anniversary season
Playwright - Moliere
Adapter
- Robert Kemp's adaptation of L'Ecoles Des Femmes
Director - Richard Baron
Set Designer - Trevor Coe
Costume Designer - Sarah-Jane McClelland
Lighting Designer - Mark Pritchard
Company - Pitlochry Theatre Company
Venue - Pitlochry Festival Theatre www.pitlochry.org.uk
01796 484626 accessible by rail, bus and by car takes 1hrs
30mins from centre of Edinburgh.
Dates - see listings for details
Runs in rep until with other plays, season ends 13 October 2001
Reviewer - Thelma Good
Against a set sprung into 3D from an engraving of a 17thC Edinburgh
mansion exterior, Pitlochry's production has much fun and frolics. Richard
Baron's direction and the upbeat performances keep the audience's interest
though Kemp's 1949 adaptation has some overlong speeches in the first
Act and rather archaic Scots.
Mr Oliphant, the
Laird of Stumpie, writer of advice to husbands and their wives, decides
he has found a female, Agnes, so natural she can be a wife for him.
Stumpie has put his selected mate in one of his mansions with servants
employed to keep her safe. One
day she is waved at by a young man and all comes undone.
Michael Mackenzie is Stumpie, stylish in his ringletted black
wig with a wonderfully plumed hat and tail coat of black, suiting his
stiff formality. His young prospect Agnes, Helen Logan is pure
of spirit and mind with the eager confidence of innocent youth. The
young man who catches her eye is Walter, James Mackenzie. Both
Mackenzies, father and son, give excellent performances as the
contrasting experienced and naive suitors.
Mackenzie junior's fluidity and timing of his exchanges
with his father are complimented by those between Mackenzie senior
and Logan. But surpassing them all is the wonderful double act
of Jimmy Chisholm and Janet Michael as the servants, Alan
and Alison, This pair early in the run already have lots of marvellously
funny well paced business going between themselves and with their master.
In colourful rags and tatters their high octane performances inject
the essential Commedia dell' Arte fuel into Kemp's Scottish adaptation,
making the Moliere theatrical classic zoom with hilarity.
© Thelma Good 25 May 2001
Janet Michael as Alison and
Jimmy Chisholm as Alan image©Pitlochry Theatre
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