15/09/10…Gripping drama and entertainment from Thame Players

AMENDED – Apologies to Peter Stevens for erroneously crediting Mark Williams with the part of Fred, the photographer.

THAME Players’ latest production drew practically a full house for every splendid performance of Terence Rattigan’s play, The Winslow Boy, last week.

This has got to be one of the company’s best ever productions – and that really is saying something for this little, local theatre group that nonetheless consistantly turns out high quality acting and production, in their delightful little theatre in the market town of Thame.

The device of illustrating the action off stage through one character reporting back to the other characters on stage, is so effective in this play, and no better exemplified than through the moving description by Frances Lord as Violet the parlour maid, of the closing stages of the the public trial of the Admiralty, set shortly before the outbreak of WW1.

As Frances (as Violet) described members of the jury jumping out of the box to shake the hand of Sir Robert Morton, KC (played with a perfect mixture of poise and barely concealed arrogance by Mark Williams), and his unexpected emotional reaction, I for one was there in that court room with her, witnessing that historic moment – all over a five shilling postal order!

All the actors deserve the most appreciative of praise for their portrayal of a patriarchal family on the cusp of the first World War, just as young people – young women in particular – were beginning to exert their independence, but a time when personal sacrifice and ‘doing the right thing’ were still important.

Particular praise must also go to Brian Holt as Arthur Winslow’s father, who visibly became more frail through the duration of the trial, as he fought for the honour of his wrongly accused son (we assume!)

All the cast were exemplary; Robin Kendall for his querky, gauky yet loveably innocent portrayal of a boy younger than himself, Val Cockayne for her believable portrayal of the loyal, submissive wife, yet somehow, really in command of the household.

Penny Harper must be a professional actress – if she’s not, she should be, such is her natural stage presence, demanding that you watch her, even when she’s not actually speaking. Rob Wratten as Dickie Winslow, the Oxford undergraduate with too much joi de vivre and love for rag time to knuckle down to studying, was masterful as was Adam Hurst as John Watherstone, the fiance of Catherine – the way he switched from the Nigel Parjater-like chivalrous young military man to pompous, hurt pride-inflicted, jilted wimp; was this good Direction or good acting? It matters not – the result was perfect.

Tim Shepherd as the family solicitor, displayed just the right amount of pathos without seeming to feel too sorry for himself, though obviously hopelessly besotted with the single-minded daughter of the Winslow household.

Katie Ell as Miss Barnes the journalist, burst on to the scene with such energy skillfully portraying the two-faced nature of that sort of journalist we are too familiar with today – more interested in the decor and the life-style of her interviewees than the world-changing events going on around her (Thamenews.net journalists excepted of course).

Although he was on stage for such a short time, Peter Stevens as Fred the press photographer really looked the part, right down the very authentic-looking large plate camera of the day, complete with exploding flash! Did Julia Roitt, in charge of properties do a midnight raid on Thame museum? Such resourcefulness!

Congratulations to the whole production team, including whoever sourced the wonderful Rag time music that so set the mood of the day, and the very best of luck for the pantomime season ahead – Dick Whittington is from Friday, December 3, to Sunday, December 12 – another treat assured.