We Happy Few

‘We Happy Few’, a drama / comedy by Imogen Stubbs, is the latest production at The Old Mill in South Perth. Presented nightly at 8.00 until 16^th May.


        Two actresses discover a hoard of old stage costumes in the cellar of a disused theatre. As they leave, the spirits of their previous owners emerge and we find ourselves back at the end of August 1939. Two ‘spirit’ friends Hetty (Kyla Jones) and Flora (Rosemary Longhurst) decide to set up ‘Artemis’ a travelling theatre group who will take entertainment to the children, of war ravaged UK.
       They go through the stage of auditioning, only to find bureaucracy in the form of a civil servant (Andrew Bremner) a major stumbling block – has nothing changed after 70 years! Undeterred, they get together a team of amateurs, commandeering everyone from Ivy the maid (Bonnie Coyle) to caretaker, Charlie (Ellen O’Connor). Whilst rehearsing, two German refugees, a mother (Francesca Meehan) and her son (Andy Harmsen) arrive, - they are escaping from Kristallnacht and seek shelter.
        One of the Artemis performers, Rosalind (Olivia Bacon) suggests that they take on her alcoholic, professional actor, mother (Gail Lusted) to help them. A suggestion that Rosalind may come to regret. We follow the troupe for the next few years, experiencing their highlights and tragedies.

Playwright, Imogen Stubbs is married to well-respected Shakespearean director, Trevor Nunn, so it is not surprising that the play’s title is from the St Crispin’s Day speech (often wrongly quoted as Crispian) by Henry V just before Agincourt. This passage is recited by Flora, at the end of the play.

Claire Wilson. Les Lee, Leigh Parlor and Nicola Sarah complete this strong cast who give us Shakespeare, a piano recital, songs & dance, comedy, and passages of truly touching tragedy – I could hear the sniffles all around.

The entrance to the theatre was lined with war time posters. Even a DVD with sepia toned footage of ‘Much Binding in the Marsh’, starring Richard ‘Stinker’ Murdoch and Kenneth Horne, was being played – you haven’t heard of them? Then you may miss many of the subtle, nostalgic references to people and objects of the era, but without losing any of the overall enjoyment.

Director Simon James has handled the large cast and the various genres well. The cast had good pace and delivery – but now my minor whinge – the first Act had numerous set changes, with an army of several ASMs, all getting in the way of each other, and trying to be ultra-precise in the positioning of the flats and props. The lighting operator waited until everything had totally settled own before raising the lights. This was a little tedious to the audience, but even worse, it unfortunately threw the lesser experienced cast and left them trying to re-establish the flow of the script. May I suggest that Simon loses half of the excellent, well-sourced props and try and lose some of the flat moves completely? The lighting operator (very good lighting) should be on the ball, and help the pace. I am sure that these small points will be easily and quickly sorted. Please don’t get the wrong idea of the overall quality of this show, it was well worth seeing.

There were some very strong performances, and an interesting insight to the period during the Second World War. The house was full, as I suspect it will deservedly be for the rest of the season.