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Season’s Greetings.
- Tour.
Playwright & Directer - Alan Ayckbourn.
Designer - Rodger Glossop.
Lighting designer - Mick Hughes.
Costume Designer - Christine Wall.
Music Composer - Denis King.
Associate Designer - Pip Leckenby.
Sound Designer - Dan Last.
Cast - Here.
Company - Guilford’s Yvonne
Arnaud Theatre in association with Ayckbroun's theatre The
Stephen Joseph Theatre
Cast - here .
Edinburgh Venue - Kings Theatre
0131 529 6000.
Seen to review at King's Theatre Edinburgh 9 Novenber 2004.
Edinburgh Dates - 9 - 13 November 2004 not Sun at 7:30pm Wed &
Sat mat at 2:30pm.
2003 Tour Dates and Times - here .
Run Time - 2 hrs 20 mins including 15 min interval.
Reviewer - Georgina Merry.
In the cast this play excels.
It’s Christmas Eve and everyone is doing what they do every year in Alan
Ayckbourn’s light-hearted comedy. The family are round at the wealthy
home of Belinda and Neville - decorating, cooking drunk, and watching
the same old Christmas film. Everything’s set for a typical Christmas.
And we all know what that means - ridiculous behaviour and fights galore
fuelled by alcohol and over-eating. Ho ho ho!
The host of great actors add energy to this play which could become tedious
if improperly cast. First off – Uncle Bernard Matthew Kelly is
great. He performs the role of bumbling Uncle Bernard wonderfully - prancing
around flittering and bothering as any dotty old softy might. Although
Bernard is a wet rag Kelly adds an endearing quality to a character
that could well become irritating played by someone else. It’s in the
cast this play excels. With a script that leaves little room for divergence
this group, under Ayckbourn’s direction, bring new aspects to the characters.
Each and every actor gives a sterling performance that will make you laugh
at least once if not more. One hilarious actress is Alison Pargeter
known for her role as Sarah in Eastenders. She’s Pattie, the pregnant,
ignored wife, and she plays it superbly. She may well have added extra
laughter to this production.
It’s fair to say that, at times, this pay seems contrived. Certainly it
sets up jokes that you can see coming a mile off and presents predictable
situations. Luckily this only lasts for a scene or two as you are soon
drawn in. There’s a certain familiarity about this play that is identifiable
on many levels. And it’s funny. Never before did I think I would laugh
so hard at a puppet show! There are harsher critics that may call this
play safe and conventional, but when it comes to a subject matter such
as this there’s a larger audience to cater for. And this play and cast
delivers satisfying fare.
© Georgina Merry 9 November 2004 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com.
Edinburghguide Reviews of other Alan Ayckbourn plays -
Communicating
Doors - Perth Theatre production.
Comic Potential
- Byre Theatre St Andrews production.
A
Small Family Business and Absurb
Person Singular - Pitlochry Theatre productions.
Cast of Season’s Greetings.
Harvey – Terence Booth
Bernard – Matthew Kelly.
Belinda – Liza Goddard.
Pattie – Alison Pargeter.
Neville – Bill Champion.
Eddie – Jason Baughan.
Rachel – Alexandra Mathie.
Phyllis – Eliza Hunt.
Clive – Matthew Cottle.
Full Tour Dates for Alan Ayckbourn’s Season’s
Greetings.
Tour begins
6 - 16 Oct at Guildford Yvonne Arnaud Theatre 01483 440000.
18 - 23 Oct at Windsor Theatre Royal 01753 863444.
25 - 30 Oct at Richmond upon Thames Richmond Theatre 020 8940 0220.
1 - 6 Nov at Eastbourne Devonshire Park 01323 412000.
9 - 13 Nov at Edinburgh King's Theatre 0131 529 6000.
15 - 20 Nov at Birmingham Repertory 0121 236 4455.
22 - 27 Nov at Plymouth Theatre Royal 01752 267222.
29 Nov - 4 Dec Bath Theatre Royal 01225 448844.
Tour Ends.
Theatre Editor, Thelma Good's e-mail is
thelma@edinburghguide.com
Although every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the
information presented in these pages, no responsibility can be accepted
for any errors or omissions.
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