A Small Mind At The Theatre

In the world of modern theatre, The Woman in Black doesn't need any introduction. Now over thirty years since the actors first trod the boards in Scarborough telling Susan Hill's story, through Stephen Mallatratt's stage adaptation, this show has packed the audiences in and travelled widely. When the play opened in London in 1989, few probably thought it would still be there 30 years later, but there it stays, thrilling audiences. So, it's a pretty good play, right? Let's see. Arthur Kipps (Robert Goodale) has a story to tell, a horrific one based on his own experience after travelling to Eel Marsh House, the final home of the late Mrs Alice Drablow. To tell his story, and to relate his "five-hour" tale, he seeks the help of "The Actor" (Daniel Easton), and a ramshackle theatre, which fortunately does have a good sound system and sound engineer. So, Kipps' story can be told. I first saw The Woman in Black five years ago, and back...

For some unknown reason Jeeves & Wooster has managed to pass me by until my encounter with this rather silly but tremendous fun play. I was aware of the characters of course, the upper class fool Wooster and his highly efficient butler Jeeves, but seen or read about them, absolutely not. On the evidence on display in Perfect Nonsense, it might just be worthwhile having a look. I say might just, because I personally felt that this play was more entertaining from the premise of a play being thrown together in front of our eyes rather than the tale that it told. Bertie Wooster you see wants to put on a play to tell the story of a rather troublesome encounter with a silver cow creamer he has suffered. He does however not have the brains or ability to create such a thing, so his ever dependable butler is constantly on hand to ensure that things mostly go smoothly. The third and final character of the play is Aunt Dahlia’s butler, Seppings, who like Jeeves but unlike Wooster himself, i...