Communicating  Doors

by Alan Ayckbourn

February 28 - March 3  2007

Directed by

John Garland

JG wrote: "When I was asked to direct for the 2007 season, I thought I'd like to try my hand at comedy.  My previous productions have had sombre themes [strained relationships, troubled minds etc] and I wanted something much lighter this time.  

Having thoroughly enjoyed Wick's Bedroom Farce last year, I looked at many more of Ayckbourn's plays.  When I read Communicating Doors I was instantly drawn to the idea of being able to change history.  It is an enjoyable comedy too - though I must admit there are also some of my familiar themes along the way, including relationships and menace.  

So, the perfect choice for me - a black comedy!  I hope you enjoy it too."

Cast

Barrie Jerram 

Time travel being very much in vogue at the moment with such TV successes as Dr. Who and Life on Mars makes the idea a suitable subject for entertainment.  Therefore it was a 'timely' move by The Wick Theatre Company to stage Alan Ayckbourn's extremely funny comedy thriller that revolved around the idea of people moving through time zones.  The action taking place in the same room and moving between three time periods 2014, 1994 and 1974.  Only the inventive mind of Ayckbourn could come up with a plot that has a leather-clad dominatrix, albeit a wimpish one, as its heroine, Phoebe.  A part that enabled Natalie Colgate to demonstrate her considerable talent for droll comedy as the hapless character tossed back and forth in time.  Chased by a villain, who has murdered Ruella and Jessica, the two wives of his business partner, Phoebe tries to rewrite history and save the women.  As the murderous Julian, Derek Fraser's performance was a mixture of suaveness and quiet menace.  There was strong and contrasting performances from Claire Wiggins and Anna Quick as the wives - Ruella, mature, down to earth and in control and Jessica, young, dithery and a bit dim.  Whilst the husband, Reece, was in the capable hands of H Reeves playing him firstly as an old man of 70-plus and then as a twenty-something.  The plot is full of mayhem and confusion, much of it involving a hotel security guard played with a great sense of comedy timing by Guy Seddon [sic].  At times the bluster, self importance and near hysteria of his portrayal suggested that Air Warden Hodges had crossed over from Dad's Army!  

Ayckbourn's writing provides a complex plot that not only is full of funny lines but also provides some classic comedy action.  On scene involving the rescue of one of the wives, who is hanging out of a window, had the audience howling with laughter.  The excellence of the performances and John Garland's direction was matched by the technical team who had constructed a complex set and depicted the time traveling by skillful light changes.  When I reviewed Bedroom Farce I said that it was a consummate production.  There must be something about Ayckbourn that brings the best in the company as this latest offerings justifies similar praise. 

Sam Woodman

Natalie Colgate stole the show as Phoebe/Poopay, while Derek Fraser was a believable villain, particularly in a tense scene in the hotel's bedroom [despite some set-wobble proving a slight distraction]  While mostly well-polished, the production, lost its place on occasions, with seemingly dramatic scenes turning into pantomime-style slapstick a little too quickly for this reviewer's tastes.  That said, the vast majority of audience members went home clutching their aching sides, and the play's dramatic and memorable final twist was played out perfectly by Colgate and Reeves, after the three women had righted Reece Well's dastardly dealings before they happened - or was that after?

Happiest Days
of Your Life

by John Dighton  

June 6 - 9 2007

Directed by

Ray Hopper

RH wrote: "So there I was in the autumn of 2003 reading a review of a revival of Happiest Days at the Manchester Royal Exchange.  How odd, I thought, can't still be funny after 55 years.  But the reviewer seemed to think otherwise, and so I organised a company play reading in the Spring of 204, at which I disgraced myself by giggling helplessly when supposed to be reading. 

So was born the idea that I would like to say thank you to the Wick for 50 years of wonderful fun and friendship by directing our revival of this play, which marked my debut on the Barn stage in 1957.  I'm also delighted that a member of the 1957 cast, Ralph Dawes, is also appearing in our current  production and another, Betty Dawes, is our Front of House manager.   I am also looking forward to meeting many other 'old Wickers', some of whom were also involved in our original production.  At the other end of the age spectrum, we are delighted to welcome 2 members of the Young Wick, Addie Marten, playing Barbara Cahoun [not spelt Colqhoun] and Hugo Harwood as Hopcroft Mi [in training for 2057?]

Personally I've been on this wonderful nostalgia trip for the past few months.  This is what we used to laugh at in the 1940s and 50s.  To my delight the current cast see to have found the play both enjoyable and funny, and we all hope so much that you do too!"

Barrie Jerram

The action takes place at Hilary House School for Boys, which is due to an error by a government department is forced to share its premises with St. Swithins School.  Unfortunately this turns out to be a school for girls.  War breaks out between the two and it is only the necessity of keeping the merger secret from respective parents that leads to a sort of truce.  Despite appearing a little dated at times, there is still charm and much humour in the piece and the whole cast worked hard providing it.  Judith  Berrill and Diane Robinson go to the top of the class for acting honours.  Each gives delightful performances as the battleaxe headmistress and gawky games mistress respectively.  as the dithering headmaster, David Goodger provides a lot of comedy but lacks subtlety.  Unfortunately this actor as a fine comic touch but here his performance is over-animated.

Sam Woodman

After a wartime evacuation, headmaster Godfrey Pond and his staff are delighted to be back at Hilary Hall school for boys - until the arrival of pupils and staff from girls' school St. Swithins, themselves evacuees after their building is razed to the ground. Arguments over sleeping arrangements' use of the playing field and the furnishings of the staff common room ensue, until the arrival of parents causes more mayhem.  Mr. and Mrs. Sowter [John Garland and Barbara Thomas] want their son toughened up in an all-masculine environment, while the Reverend and Mrs. Peck [Tony Brownings and Susanna Chaplin] fear for the upbringing of their delicate daughter, Julia.  avid Goodger's turn as waffling headmaster Mr. Pond went down a storm with audiences, while Judith Berrill was on fine form as the formidable St. Swithin's headmistress - sorry principal - Evelyn Whitchurch.  They were ably supported by Peter Winstone and Adrian Kenward [Hilary Hall teachers Rupert Billings and Dick Tassell] and Diane Robinson and Hazel Stern as back-slapping St. Swithin's games mistress Miss Gossage and teacher Miss Harper,  respectively.

Wick's performance of  The Happiest Days was an enjoyable romp, and one steeped in history, with two members of the company's cast returning to the play 50 years after first starring in the tale.  Ralph Dawes [school porter and groundsman Rainbow] appeared as Dick Tassell back in 1957, while director Ray Hopper had played Hopcroft Mi in the same production.  The scrip has perhaps dated a little, nut nowhere near as much as one might have suspected of a play more than 50 years old, and no doubt helped by the boundless enthusiasm and efforts of the cast.

In his programme notes, Ray Hopper recounted a tale of how he disgraced himself by giggling helplessly during a reading in 2004 - a fate similarly suffered by all those who left the Barn Theatre with aching sides last week.

Evacuation - during wartime individual children and whole schools were moved to parts of the country considered to be safer.
Wire and Telegram - fast means of sending a message through the post office.
Don Bradman - legendary Australian batsman.
Five Bob- five shillings equivalent to 25 pence.
Half-a-Crown - a substantial coin equivalent to 12.5 pence.
Telephone exchange - telephone calls were not dialled directly but through a switchboard operator.
LMS - London, Midland and Scottish Railway.
Tapioca - a stodgy milk pudding.
Whale Steak - meat was in short supply but whale steak was available although rather unpalatable - also known as Moby Dick.
Ration Book - coupons for foods and clothes in short supply - children had their own ration book including the sweet ration.

Our Day Out

by Willy Russell  

August 9 -11  2007

Directed by

Mark Best

MB wrote: "Our Day Out is Young Wick's fourth major production and my fourth year directing this talented group of young performers.  I cannot express enough the pride and gratitude I have towards this dedicated cast.  Their energy and enthusiasm h been shown in every aspect of the production.  I wish to also thank Ryan Lainchbury and Kevin Isaac, who have been supportive throughout.

On and off stage, Young Wick have contribute to designing and putting together the production getting involved in lighting, sound, costume and publicity.  They have proved, after winning Brighton & Hove Council awards lat year, that they are an ensemble company who can perform and produce show of excellence standards.

Our Day Out was written in the late 1970s by Willy Russell.  The play is based on his experiences of trips in his own school in Liverpool.  The play chronicles a day out for the progress class taken by their teacher Mrs. Kay.  Determined they should enjoy themselves, she is overshadowed by the oppressive senior teacher Mr. Briggs, who believes the kids should behave and have fun in an orderly fashion.

Let Young Wick take you on the unforgettable day out.  Remember, were you one of the kids making gestures out of the coach window?"

Barrie Jerram

The young cast acted with enthusiasm whilst displaying great discipline especially maintaining their Scouse accents throughout.  This reflected the strong direction that they received from Mark Best who moulded the cast so that the ensemble playing was shown at its best.  Amongst the many excellent performances Sophie Lane's Linda and Tom Pearson's Reilly impressed.  Both captured well adolescent rebellion yet also showing immature insecurity.  There was a cheeky performance from Rhys Webb as Andrews, a young pretender aspiring to be like the older boys.  The acting performance of the night came from Kirsty Bliss who was sensational as Carol.  This player acted with an assurance that belied her years.  her cliff edge scene with Ian White, wonderfully odious as Briggs, was full of drama with the pair of them creating an atmosphere of mesmerising tension.

Frank Horsley

Russell's comic and poignant piece about what happens when Mrs. Kay leads her progress class on a  day out to Conwyn Castle gave both the adults and youngsters involved plenty of chance to show off their acting chops.  And, although it reduced the audience seating capacity, it was well worth devoting the stage exclusively to the coach and bringing the other action down to the auditorium floor.

Nikki Dunsford [Mrs. Kay] gave a lovely warm, sensitive portrayal of a teacher simply trying to give her no-hope, "born rejects" charges a bit of fun for once, despite the oppressive presence of senior teacher Mr. Briggs - dispatched on the trip by headmaster [Bob Ryder] to make sure the kids behaved themselves.  Ian White, as Mr. Briggs, was by no means all brutish, bête noire, melting at times with subtle skill into a more humane character, to the extent of even suggesting the coach party should round of their day with a trip to the fair.  Mike Medway's swirling lighting effects and adroit use of back-projection made the fairground scene one of the highlights of the evening.

As touched on before,  the production gave the young participants an unrivalled chance to throw into mime and other theatre of the physical - and there were also some nifty Scouse accents to hand.  Outstanding in the acting department were Kirsty Bliss [shades here of a young Hayley Mills] and Rhys Webb, not to mention Tom Pearson, Hugo Harwood, William McDonald, Miles Bland, James Villiers, Alegra Drury, and Sophie Lane, particularly in the way they interacted with their teachers.  Danny Bayford and Rols Ham-Riche combined to droll effect as shopkeepers and zookeepers, and Ian Glover and Sammy Scammell were young teachers having to ward off the unwanted attentions of over-sexed pupils among the day-trippers.  Tom Harris also had some nice, humorous moments as the coach driver.

Words and Music

Just as in his musical Blood Brothers Willy Russell teaches us about class, nurture and nature in this wry play about secondary-school children on a class outing.  All credit must go to this sensitive and sensible production well directed by Mark Best using his younger members to excellent effect as they recall the antics which take place among a class of school kids.  Certainly the older members of the cast, too, remember their own teachers and the way they either bullied, cajoled or gave in to the youngsters in order to stay on top of the situation.  I suppose this is one scenario in which everybody has had experience.

The many humorous moments came through as a result of excellent timing, and the pathos generated between schoolgirl Carol [Kirsty Bliss] and bullish senior teacher Mr. Briggs [Ian White] was intense as she threatens to leap over the cliff-edge having deserted the beach.  The four teachers on the coach were nicely contrasted, the somewhat wacky understanding mistress Mrs. Kay [Nikki Dunsford] in charge who wanted to give the children a happy day as opposed to the methods of Briggs who was all tough and shout.  Then there was the student teacher [Ian Grover] who wasn't at all sure of his child psychology along with helper [Sammy Scammell] who largely kept her thoughts to herself.  These are real characters and the young players knew well how to play up to them

This was a most entertaining evening, with many laughs and I'm sure all of us in the audience were able to resonate with the many familiar episodes of school life from which the playwright drew his comic scenes.  The production side was well conceived with black-out lighting between scenes and an effective bus of red chairs in two columns.  The roadside café stall was a moment of pleasure with Danny Bayford and Rols Ham-Riche holding the fort against the wily invaders.  The zoo scene was particularly amusing as the undisciplined children ran rings round the staff, smoking and handling the pets.  I was only surprised that members of staff were not shown having similar behavioural problems, other than uncharacteristically leaving the group to roam free among the animals and on the beach.  Remember Albert and the Lions!

We were to understand that these kids were underprivileged and somewhat backward and the day out was a progress prize.  What do we think of that, Russell is asking?  Laissez faire or strict control.  As a result of his interchange with the distressed Carol, Mr. Briggs appears to have a change of heart by treating the class to the fair, which the children appreciate but he finds it difficult in the end to change his spots as he finally exposes the film of the day's fu to the light.  Even the bus-driver gets a soft spot after talking to kind Mrs. Kay.  The kids didn't change for all the methodology.  See the litter-bus!  There's plenty to think about in this well-acted play.

The Memory of Water

by Shelagh Stephenson  

October 10 -13  2007

Directed by

Patricia Lynne

The programme carried the following: "Shelagh Stephenson had a successful  run of radio plays before her first major stage play, The Memory of Water, in 1996.  It subsequently won the Oliver Award for Best Comedy [2002] and was then filmed as Before You Go [2002].  Her follow-up successes include An Experiment with an Air Pump [1998], Ancient Lights [2000] and Mappa Mundi [2002].

The Memory of Water is an absorbing play on many levels, with strong characterisation and sharply observed relationships - and an ability to blend lyrical sadness with wry comedy.  An enjoyable running theme is the power which memory has to shape our feelings and our lives - but also the puzzle of how  unreliable memory is, with different people remembering the same event in entirely different ways.

Pat Lyne has previously directed the highly praised Wick productions of The Dresser [2003], Blue Remembered Hills [2004], Anorak of Fire [2005] and Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell" [2006]. 

Barrie Jerram

Wick Theatre's production provided a rich, entertaining evening that did full justice to the writing - a skilful blend of hilarious comedy, often black, and painful angst.  There were fine performances from the entire cast.  The women's rôles provided the greater opportunities to challenge their acing skills.  Each of them required to play comedy as well as emotional scenes - the comic highlight being the hysterical scene where they dress up in their mother's clothes.  Katie Brownings brought out the vulnerability behind Mary's tough professional shell.  The interplay with her dead mother - be she ghost or imagined - was particularly moving in the final encounter.  As the mother, Sheelagh Baker gave another of her fine character studies, bringing out well both the comedy and pathos of the character.  As Teresa, Judith Berill, captured well the character's practicality and obsessive nature and was particularly sensitive in the scene where her drunkenness allowed her true pent up feelings to be released.  Lyn Fernee was successful in tackling the difficult rôle of Catherine.  The character is complex with a volatile persona aggravated by the use of recreational drugs.  Her love life is in a mess and she is paranoid that her siblings have always excluded her.  Fernee's performance fully captured all Catherine's quirkiness.

The play's two male rôles were in the safe hands of David Peaty and Bob Ryder.  Peaty as Mike, the married lover of Mary, had the task of making a selfish character likeable.  Whilst Ryder gave a rounded performance as Teresa's long suffering husband - the man's unhappiness nicely balanced with a light comic touch.

The simplest, yet practical, set provided the right atmosphere as did the lighting and sound effects.  Once again Mike Medway was, if you'll pardon the pun, spot on!

Sam Woodman

A play about three sisters’ recently deceased mother and the build-up to her funeral might seem an unlikely success story for the stage.  But that is exactly what Wick Theatre Company achieved with its latest production, The Memory of Water. 

Written by Shelagh Stephenson and performed at Southwick’s Barn Theatre last week, the play centred on sisters Mary, Teresa and Catherine (Katie Brownings, Judith Berrill and Lyn Fernee), bickering over their memories of their late mother Vi (played by Sheelagh Baker).

David Peaty appeared as Mike, Mary’s lover, and Bob Ryder was Frank, Teresa’s husband. The strong cast took the audience on a journey through the darkly comic, sadly poignant, laugh-out-loud funny and back round again.  Bob Ryder stole the show in one of his strongest performances since portraying Jeffrey Bernard - and his opening (but unrepeatable, in a family newspaper, at least) line encapsulated the plethora of the character’s feelings in three short words. Robust language and adult themes cropped up frequently throughout, but served only to add to the play’s realism and replicate how any group of people might deal with a sudden death in the family.  Directed by Pat Lyne, The Memory of Water rose to the challenge of tackling a perhaps less-than-appealing topic, making it accessible and entertaining.

David Copperfield 

by Ian Mullins  
adapted from the novel by 
Charles Dickens

December 29 - 30 
January 2 - 5 2008

Directed by

Kevin Isaac, Tony Brownings

KI wrote: "Like many fond parents," wrote Charles Dickens, "I have in my heart of hearts a favourite child.  And his name is David Copperfield."

Hugely admired by Tolstoy, David Copperfield is the novel that draws more closely from Charles Dicken's own life.  Its eponymous hero, orphaned as a boy, grows up to discover love and happiness, heartbreak and sorrow, amid a cast of eccentrics, innocents, and villains.  Praising Dickens' power of invention, Somerset Maugham wrote: "There were never such people as the Micawbers, Peggotty and Barkis, Traddles, Betsey Trotwood and Mr. Dick, Uriah Heep and his mother.  They are fantastic inventions of Dickens's exultant imagination .... you can never quite forget them." 

Bringing a novel the size and complexity of David Copperfield to the stage has been a long, involved and extremely enjoyable journey.  From the early days of working with this adaptation, designing the set, onto casting and rehearsals; every step has been a different challenge and an eye-opening experience. Tony Brownings and I have worked together with a fantastic cat and amazing back-stage and support team to bring to life this epic tale.  We hope you enjoy it.  To quote Virginia Woolf - David Copperfield - the most perfect of all the Dickens novels."

Barrie Jerram

Dickens' epic tale, a bold choice by the Wick Theatre Company, sadly, proves to be an over ambitious one.  Judged by the company's past, high standard this production falls short.  The original novel provides a vast canvas that sparkles with life whereas this adaptation, truncated into short scenes, is lacking in vitality.  The production is ponderous with many scenes merely lifeless tableaux.

The large cast is of mixed acting ability.  At one end there is inaudibility and the mere reciting of lines, as opposed to speaking them with understanding and feeling, whilst at the other end there are some quality performances.  Amongst these Diane Robinson gives a feisty performance as Betsey Trotwood whilst Natalie Colgate is a warm and down to earth Peggoty.  Adrian Kenward provides the required repulsiveness of Uriah Heep and is matched by the sweetness and goodness of Ray Hopper's Mr. Dick - two portrayals that are truly Dickensian.

Sam Woodman

One of Charles Dickens' best- known works was brought to life on stage last week, as Wick Theatre Company performed David Copperfield at Southwick's Barn Theatre.  Thought to be the most autobiographical of all Dickens' novels, the story was adapted for the stage by Ian Mullins and the production directed  by Kevin Isaac and Tony Brownings.  The trials and tribulations of the show's titular character was played out, from his childhood through adolescence and into a working young man.  The young David, played by Miles Bland, suffered the cruelties of his stepfather, Mr. Murdstone [John Garland], and headmaster Mr. Creakle [Guy Steddon], and then employment in a rat-infested  warehouse.

David's escape saw him seek refuge with his aunt Betsey [Diane Robinson] and met a wide variety of friendly folk, including the Peggoty family, 'child wife' Dora [Morgan Jones], Mr. Micawber, delightfully played by David Creedon.  Adrian Kenward was also entertaining as the villain of the piece, the cadaverous Uriah Heep, with Natalie Colgate, as the maid Peggoty, and the characters of Traddles and Steerforth [played by Hugo Harwood and Stuart Isaac, and Tom Harris and Guy Steddon respectively] cropped up throughout the years.

As the character of David Copperfield aged, so did the actor playing him, with Ryan Lainchbury acting out the rôle of David as a young adult.  Tying everything up was Tony Browning, playing David Copperfield as a narrator, and leading the audience through his younger years.

Clever stage design meant one set acted as the play's numerous locations, including David's boyhood home, the Rookery [with its distinct absence of rooks ...], Mr. Micawber's lodgings and the legal practice of Mr. Wickfield [Derek Fraser].

David Copperfield may have suffered slightly from its length, but the only solution would have been to cut some parts of the tale, depriving audiences of the story and the actor's performances.  Staging such a well-known and well-loved tale, with such a large cast, might have been ambitious, but those ambitions were realised by Wick.

Next season 2008