ST PAUL’S PLAYERS PRESENTS

ARE YOU BEING SERVED?

10TH SEPTEMBER- 13TH SEPTEMBER 2008

 

THE PRODUCTION TEAM

 DIRECTOR- Jane Harrison

PRODUCER- Lisa Cohen

 

 THE CAST

 

MR GRAINGER- Vince Taylor

MR MASH- Chris Martin

MR RUMBOLD- David Greenfield

MR LUCAS- Phil Armstrong

MISS BRAHMS- Jane Catterall

CAPTAIN PEACOCK- Tom Power

MRS SLOCOMBE- Judith Armstrong

MR HUMPRIES- Graham Cohen

LADY CUSTOMER/TAERESA- Joyce Clarkson

MALE CUSTOMER/ CESAR- Dax Owen

NURSE/ CONCHITA- Lily Blundell

DON BERNADO- Chris Martin

NODA REVIEW

This play, taken from the spin-off film toward the end of the series, has all the ingredients which you would expect to find, along with the double meanings, etc.
The set was very good and the store lift was extremely well done, sound effects and all.The characters some of us remember very well and so that puts added pressure on the cast to live up to the stereotypes we used to enjoy so much. To a large extent they succeeded.

Vine Taylor, as Mr. Grainger, was very amusing. David Greenfield resembled Mr Rumbold in both voice and bearing. Mr Lucas, alias Phil Armstrong, the womaniser, could have been more lecherous.

Jane Catterall, playing Miss Brahms, was a delight and gave an excellent performance .Mrs Slocombe was played by Judith Armstrong who captured the voice of this lady. Tom Power did well with the commanding presence of Captain Peacock, a nice rounded performance this.

There were several cameo parts and the best of those came from Joyce Clarkson as Taeresa and Lily Blundell who played both the nurse and Conchita. Chris Martin carne into his own as the hotel owner, Don Bernardo. The performance of Graham Cohen, as Mr Humphries, was superb.

Individually, the show had some very good characterisations but unfortunately this, like all comedies needs pace and we lost a good deal of the humour because it had too many pauses and people not coming in quickly enough. That was a shame because all the ingredients where there. Thank you for an entertaining evening.