Show: A Kick In The Baubles
Society: Brackley Players
Venue: Southfield Primary Academy, Banbury Road, Brackley, NN13 6AU
Credits: Gordon Steel
Type: Sardines
Performance Date: 24/10/2018
A Kick In The Baubles
Alex Wood | 26 Oct 2018 17:15pm
A Kick in the Baubles was written by Gordon Steel for the Hull Truck theatre company. It’s an edgy piece, combining the family chaos of Season’s Greetings with the dramatic discomfort of Abigail’s Party. There are quite a few laughs to be had, mixed in with a fair amount of tension and unease before an ending which focuses on reconciliation – coming as something of a relief bearing in mind what has gone on before.
Frank and Jean Bailey are rubbing along, just managing following Frank’s recent redundancy. It’s Christmas and, as usual, Jean wants to make it memorable while Frank frets about the cost, the fuss and the guests he would prefer not to see. One such is Jean’s bigoted and rather grumpy sister Doreen, who is accompanied by her materialistic and lecherous businessman husband, Harry. Dropping in uninvited are neighbours Gary – who sees himself as something of a karaoke king – and his rather too uninhibited wife Julie. Alex, Doreen and Harry’s daughter, calls to report the end of her romance and the subsequent making up. Finally, Milly Bailey and fiancé Darren pay a surprise visit.
I have to admit that I found the first act of the play especially difficult. With the action chopped in no less than 8 scenes it is hard to settle into the play and at times I felt the characters are more like caricatures. Some of this domestic mayhem spills over into the second half, most notably with the huge falling out between Harry and Doreen and the spectacularly noisy love-making of Gary and Julie in the Bailey’s bed, but the plot finally resolves itself with the return of Milly.
The play’s central character is Frank Bailey, played by Peter Milne. Peter did well in this role (especially as the night I saw the show he was still recovering from loosing his voice) which involves a lot of lines and good comic timing, notably when offering the audience his aphorisms on Christmas, women and his guests. Amanda Howson was ideal in her portrayal of Jean Bailey, the optimisitic foil to her grumpy husband, working hard to make this Christmas one to remember only to see it begin to turn into one she might want to forget.
Jack Frost, as businessman and philanderer Harry is very convincing, the discomfort of the relationship with Doreen nicely portrayed. Fran Hollyoake is very effective in bringing out Doreen’s snobishness and her distrust of Harry, which increases as the play progresses.
Scott and Lisa Saffrey impressed as the outrageous neighbours, Gary and Julie. Scott does not stint in his efforts to imitate various rock stars noisily and embarrassingly and Lisa’s portrayal of the drunk and rather too familiar next door neighbour are convincingly amusing.
I enjoyed seeing Sally Munday-Webb as the self-centred, clueless Alex (her line about asylum seekers beautifully timed) and Bethan Workman is touchingly authentic as the prodigal daughter who wants to make peace with her family.
Josh Ryan plays the small but important role of Darren with confidence.
Lighting, costumes, musical links between scenes and set are all appropriate.
Overall, I think the cast – many of whom are newcomers to amateur theatre – did quite well. Diction was good, though a few lines were either fluffed or needed prompts, but movement round the stage appeared trouble free. (I was a little confused about the apparent use of two entrances/exits.) But to work really well I suspect that this comedy needed more pace and polish than it had on the production’s second night.
All that said, A Kick in the Baubles gave the audience an entertaining night out.
- : admin
- : 24/10/2018