Habeas Corpus

Sandi Shaw’s 'Puppet on a string' sets the atmosphere and confirms the late 60’s era. The scene is a doctor’s home in Hove-Actually, known by that name because the toffee-nose locals unfailingly boast ‘I live in Brighton, well Hove actually!’ (the much more wealthy suburb to the west).

Arthur Wicksteed (David Nelson) is a GP who has been married to Muriel (Sonni Byrne – fabulous performance) for decades of boredom. However he still hasn’t lost his eye for the women. Unlike his hypochondrial son, Dennis (Andrew Symes) who finds excitement from reading medical books in search of his latest condition. The GP’s drab sister, Constance (Sue Marsh), is desperate to break away from her fiancé of 10-years, Canon Throbbing (Tim Fraser) and on deciding that her flat chest is holding her back, resolves to order a breast enlargement kit from a mail order company.
Various patients, friends and colleagues appear throughout the play which has a ‘running commentary’ given by the housekeeper, Mrs Swabb (Shelley Brown). Who will marry whom?

This is a delightful play, which because it was written 35 years ago, does have the odd ‘aged passage’, but genius Alan Bennett’s cleverly and beautifully constructed script carries it through. With almost every sentence having double entendres, puns and comical references, some of which were missed due to the very British nature of the comedy.

The delivery of the cast had just the right amount of hamminess required by the genre, the expressions, body actions and general movement flowed very well, making one feel that the whole cast were enjoying the occasion. Congratulations to everyone, who obviously responded well to the superb direction of Susie Benson-Parry. Technically well done.

Even with the large cast, there wasn’t a weak link. Great fun.