Tony Wood

Kitchen Sink Drama Was Real Farce

There are a number of cliches which could immediately be associated with Alan Ayckbourn's 'Absurd Person Singular', the Lichfield Players' latest offering at Lichfield Garrick, writes Tony Wood.

This is, in effect, three plays involving the same characters in their kitchens on December 24th in successive years. We had all our Christmases in one, a kitchen sink drama and a considerable amount of 'keeping up with the Joneses'. Needless to say it was a farce, and Lichfield Players always excel in this field.

Louise Early and David Stonehouse are well suited complementing and supporting each other as Jane and Sidney Hopcroft, who although clearly middle class need to impress the visitors at their Christmas drinks party. They set the scene for the audience's evening experience of unexpected calamities, comical misunderstandings and certainly too many gins. The scene is the kitchen but some of the calamities however happen within the party in another part of the house. The skill in which these actors help us, the audience, feel part of what we cannot see particularly in this first scene was very laudable.

By the time the next Christmas comes we are in the Jackson's kitchen. Lara Gee (Eva) is the focal figure, clearly utterly depressed - presumably because of her husband's 'goings on' with other ladies. She speaks barely a word as Sidney and Jane arrive for drinks. This scene is really one of 'black comedy' the audience are kept on the edge of their seats wondering if Eva will succeed in committing suicide. Somehow the seriousness of such a situation is absorbed in the farcical feeling already established in the play. Eva tries jumping from the window, attacking herself with a kitchen knife, putting her head in the oven and even electrocution. Lara Gee took us through these moods with utter conviction and it is only on reflection that one realises the seriousness of the situation that caused the uncontrollable laughter. Ian Davies as husband Geoffrey was unable to sort her out or entertain his guests, not helped by an enormous dog which was laways just off stage - heard but unseen.

There is a kind of role reversal by the time we arrive at Ronald and Marion's kitchen yet another Christmas later. Ronald (Stephen Brunton) is now at his wits end because Marion's attachment to the gin has become too much. She is spending too much time in bed. However, we do meet her and the extrovert and sophisticated character of the two years previously has changed. As we come to expect of Fiona Willimott she took the change of character in her stride.

This farce did not attempt to come to a rounded conclusion. The audience had a great evening. The Players, under the direction of Barrie Atchinson kept the pace of action and attention to the nefarious happenings throughout.