WHEN WE ARE MARRIED

Tue 20 - Sat 24 February 2024 at 7.30pm
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Sheep Street, Northampton NN1 3NL

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Review: a classic evening
Owen Warr

Since 1969 when I joined the Masque Theatre, "Punch, Pace and Attack" have been the criteria whereby theatrical productions must be judged. These qualities inspire my admiration whenever they are apparent.

Rarely has a Masque 'First Night' achieved the full capacity audience before the 'curtain' has risen. On this occasion therefore, one felt a sense of history befitting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Carmen Simoni and James Lickman, as Ruby Birtle and Gerald Forbes opened the play and at once established the needful slightly quizzical 'working class' viewpoint of society of that time. In this they were aided by Sue Whyte as Mrs Northrope, a housekeeper with scant regard for crockery and her employer's secrets as brought to light by Gerald Forbes, (and as divulged to his fiancé, Nancy Holmes, played in sparkling form by Charlotte Howley).

Martin Williams delivered a powerful performance as Alderman Joseph Holliwell, with a competent Yorkshire accent and he was ably supported by Patricia Coleman as Marie, his spouse.

The inevitable worm turns

Gordon Ritche, as Councillor Albert Parker, propounded a gospel of unremitting 'stinginess', which for his wife Annie (played by Salli Belsham) bears quietly until the
inevitable worm turns.

Graham Breeze played Herbert Soppitt with the panache needed to absorb the barbs of his wife Clara (played with due dignity by Nicola Osbourne). Paula Fraser, as a painted Lottie Grady, a seemingly universal courtesan from Blackpool, convinced us of her eye for the main chance. Jem Clack as Henry Ormondroyd and Alistair Way, the Argos newspaper's photographer and reporter, embodied the power and threat of the Free Press.

Steal the show

Matthew Widdowson, as Reverend Mercer, provided the Gilbertian twist whereby Priestly made all things well and reconcile opposing parties. Director, James Skeggs, is to be congratulated for bringing ]B Priestly's play to life so vibrantly with a cast extolling so much enthusiasm, talent, individual personalities and such facial expressions (upon which all dramatis personae deserve merit points).

It may seem invidious now to confer a laurel wreath, but the ability of Jem Clack to 'steal' the show in comedy terms with a 'drunken' camera both underscore and reinforced the hard work of the ensemble throughout the evening.

To conclude, the cast, technical crew, wardrobe, lighting, set construction, all concerned, deserve every plaudit which one can give to a classic evening in the annals of The Masque Theatre.

Preview
James Skeggs | director

J B Priestly's brilliant 'low' comedy is set in the town of Clecklewyke, in the sitting room of Councillor & Mrs Halliwell, in the year 1908.

Three couples, the Halliwells, the Parkers and the Soppitts are celebrating their silver wedding anniversaries. They were all married in a joint ceremony 25 years earlier in Clecklewyke Chapel and they are enjoying a celebratory high tea.

Having spent the best part of the past 25 years climbing the social 'greasy pole of respectability', their world comes crashing down when they learn that they may not actually have been married at all!

We are also introduced to a pair of young lovers, Nancy and Gerald, desperately trying to escape from the pompous confines of the older generation. Add into the mix Mrs Northop and Ruby Birtle, servants determined to make the most of their employers troubles and discomfort, along with a very inebriated photographer and a rather 'shady-lady' from Blackpool, and we have one of Priestly's most enduring and witty theatrical creations.

The three-act play will be performed in The Church of Holy Sepulchre, in the round and the production will be set as written, in 1908.

Masque Theatre's production is directed by James Skeggs.
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