At eleven words or 73 letters this must be the longest play title ever. From now on I shall refer to it as TFAHETGDSMM. The Encyclopaedia Britannica describes farce as “a comic dramatic piece that uses highly improbable situations, stereotyped characters, extravagant exaggeration, and violent horseplay”. From Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” through to the Ben Travers “Aldwych” farces of the 1920’s and 30’s, the “Whitehall Theatre” farces of the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s through to “The Play that Goes Wrong” of recent years farce is a firmly established genre in the British theatre. TFAHETGDSMM is no exception.

From the moment a piece of scenery collapsed and was replaced upside down as we were waiting for the play to commence we knew that we were in for an evening of mayhem. Missed cues, forgotten lines, collapsing props, the wrong sound effects were all there to confound and amuse.

The cast of five playing twenty parts between them worked hard to maintain the pace of the show despite some quick costume changes. It all added to the confusion!

Gavin Haines, no stranger to the Manor Pavilion stage played the hapless stage manager, Gordon, as well as inspector O”Reilly and a Spaceman (according to the programme) complete with Madonna like conical breasts. Confused? I was.

Gill Coley, another Manor Pavilion stalwart, played Felicity who played Pawn, the butler, and Colonel King. Was this gender fluidity? Ali Ransom played Audrey who played Lady Doreen Bishop (a widow), Violet Bishop (her spinster aunt), Mrs King (the Colonel’s wife) and Joan Bishop (Lady Bishop’s cousin). Julie Salmon played Mrs Reece who played Clarissa Rook (Lady Bishop’s sister), Regine (the French Maid), Patricia Bishop (Lady Bishop’s niece) Letitia Bishop (her sister)and Mr Goodbody (a solicitor).Jane Knight played Thelma who played Daphne Bishop (Lady Bishop’s daughter) and Rose Bishop (her spinster aunt). Yes, you’ve got it! This was a play within a play. We must not forget Lyndon Webb as Mrs Joanna Scales who entertained the audience with her inimitable skill at the pianoforte before the commencement of the show. 

The play continues until this Saturday evening, May 11th.