Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the dress rehearsal of Audlem Theatre Community’s production of The Vicar of Dibley, and it proved to be a wonderfully funny, light-hearted and nostalgic evening.
Like many people, I have fond memories of watching the show on TV in the 1990’s, I can still recall certain scenes, jokes and all of the characters who lived in Dibley.
This production transported me straight back there, it was a joy to watch.
The set, arranged as a village hall, worked extremely well.
The fact, that we were also in a village hall added more to the atmosphere, and at one point I felt that I could have almost been in a meeting of the Parish Council.
The attention to detail on the set, particularly the pictures on the wall from the Dibley Playgroup added extra charm.
The set changes to the vicarage were quick, allowing for action to continue without interrupting the flow of performance.
Although a little nervous, the cast did a great job.
Rachel Hodgkins gave a strong performance as Geraldine. Em Morris was superb as Alice, who brought sweetness and comic innocence to the stage.
There was wonderful comic timing between them, particularly in the well known joke scenes.
Paul Cass was suitably cynical and pompous as David.
Hugo was played by David Davenport. Helen Katterloher as Letitia, John Dixon as Frank, Stuart Furber as Jim, and Lee Bottomley as Owen all played their part in creating a hilarious ensemble.
There were some fabulously funny moments in this production including; Alice’s “I can’t believe its not butter” speech, Owen trying to give up swearing for Lent, Frank’s note taking, Jim’s wedding speech, Alice and Hugo’s first kiss and let’s not forget the Teletubbies.
I could go on and on about what I loved about this production.
Together, the company worked hard to honour the original characters while still making the performance their own.
Audlem Theatre Company should be proud of what they achieved here. Directed by Paul Cass, the company have created a show that was genuinely uplifting to watch.
It was a lovely reminder of why this comedy remains such a favourite, and why local theatre continues to be such a valuable and enjoyable part of the community.
(Review written by Claire Faulkner)
Recent Comments