Thank you to Helen Johns for this wonderful review of the recent show – A Fly in the oinment.
I’m sure others who saw A Fly in the Ointment in the theatre last week would agree that it was a huge success! With just six characters carrying all of the action, the plot was expertly portrayed and there was never a dull moment. Andy Dale as the Rt Hon Ron Corley, Minister of the Environment, had my admiration as he is on stage almost continuously with more lines than anyone – flawlessly delivered on Wednesday when I saw the show. Tina Hine as Donna, the mistress, was excellent at being unable to conceal her passion; Nikki Williams as the wronged wife was saintly virtue personified; Anne Lankester as Brenda Hackett, the policewoman, was brilliant as a very nosy officer of the law who also lusts after the pizza delivery boy (and eats the pizza!); Richard Roach as Dr George Billing, was perfect as the respectable GP no longer able to conceal his ardour for his patient, Ron’s wife. Luke Hanratty was entertaining as the outspoken pizza delivery boy who doesn’t miss an opportunity to advance his earnings – even at the expense of a high-profile politician.
The plot was full of saucy twists and turns, involving along the way a pair of frilly knickers, supposedly found on Oxford Street and pocketed by Ron to avoid embarrassing passing nuns; compromising photographs of Ron and his mistress that appear to be pictures of pizzas instead; a window that’s used by several members of the cast for exits and entrances but will only open for Donna; an alibi about river pollution, used by both Ron and Louise, as a reason for Ron being at Donna’s seaside bungalow; and a house plant that wilts after being watered with several cups of black coffee.
All of this could also be enjoyed live-streamed onto your screen at home – a first for Thame Players, having recently purchased cameras and related equipment with grant funding. Although the home experience is not the same as the experience you get in the auditorium, I enjoyed watching it just as much at home afterwards, and the laughs came just as they did in the theatre. I was pleased to have a perfect view too, without a tall person in front of me (as I had on Wednesday). If there is a small criticism, it is about the sound quality which seemed to be affected by the noise of the air conditioning unit. But these are early days, and I am sure the tech issues will all be overcome, spreading the enjoyment of Thame Players’ excellent shows around the globe as well as through the UK, and delighting those who, for reasons of distance or disability, are unable to come to the theatre.
Special praise is due to Nikki Williams, who replaced another member of the cast becoming indisposed only a matter of weeks before the show and responded to a plea on Facebook for a replacement but had not acted since she was at school – the task ahead of her was daunting but she carried it off as if she were an old hand. Also to be praised is Luke Hanratty, who became ill but still managed to perform without a hint of a problem on Wednesday evening. Finally, praise for the director, Tony Long, assisted by Helen Sels, who held the cast together through two postponements due to lockdown, rehearsing on Zoom when this could not happen in the theatre, and finally delivered an outstanding production (as well as doing the lighting with Phil Holland).
The set was excellent, and thanks are due to Steve Lambell and all of the backstage crew who brought Donna’s seaside bungalow to life, including the garden scene, complete with occasional breeze, visible through the window (what clever back projection!), to Colleen for the excellent costumes and props, to Wayne Gibson for sound effects (including great music) and to James McCann and Catherine Britt for enabling the very first Thame Players production to be live-streamed to the world. I cannot end this review without conveying thanks to the front of house team, led by Janine Thomas, who managed audience comings and goings expertly, including the ordering and collection of interval drinks. This show was indeed the best ointment I’ve had!
