My Friend, Miss Flint - Rockingham Theatre Company
Sat, 27 Mar 2010, 12:17 amThe Watcher1 post in thread
My Friend, Miss Flint - Rockingham Theatre Company
Sat, 27 Mar 2010, 12:17 amFriday, 26 March 2010
Despite having been a resident of Rockingham for several years I have never gone and seen a performance by my local theater club - thus myself and my fiancée went along this evening to the Rockingham Theater for the very first time to watch this evening’s performance of ‘My Friend Miss Flint’.
I was given a quick talk by a very helpful and smartly dressed usher (all the ushers wore matching Rockingham Theatre Company blazers - very professional!) who showed me where the toilets were and where to purchase tickets and drinks. Rockingham Theatre Company is to be commended for their ushers - polite, helpful, and most of all knowledgeable about their theatre. At interval I also purchased a few drinks from a comical and friendly barman.
A gentleman usher at the door pointed me in the right direction and I took my seat in the first row. Comfortable seats, though every time I shifted my leather belt made an uncomfortable squeaking noise against the vinyl seat which led to the elderly lady next to me giving me increasingly frustrated looks. I considered making a game of the situation - for example, seeing how many frustrated looks I could get in a minute - but before I could consider this amusing game further the clear and friendly voice of an announcer reminded us all to turn off our mobile phones and prepare for a night ahead.
The curtain opened to reveal an absolutely fantastic set, realistic in every way. The level of detail was amazing to even the tiniest degree - the books on the shelves were relevant to the character, as were the certificates, whiteboard and decorations. There were no items of set or props that were 'representing' something else - everything was perfect. Definite pats on the back for a fantastic set!
Now, the props... it has to be said, there was one prop which failed to deliver. Anyone who saw the show will know what I am talking about - the tape recorder. Twice in the show the tape recorder is obviously supposed to play some pre-recorded dialogue - and both times it failed to do so. However, it was only a minor thing. The first time the incident occurred (I will go into greater depth on this later in my review) it was very nearly covered by some quick thinking by one of the actors. The second time it was covered almost flawlessly but for a slight hesitation that gave it away. I'd suggest testing the recorder first before it is used but I'm sure this was done - just one of those technological glitches that never seem to go away... maybe record the sound separately and simply mime using the tape recorder in future.
Also as an afternote, maybe a thought for the director... again, being fairly nitpicky here, but I noticed in the first act of the show every character simply entered the apartment to begin chatting, then in the second act everyone remembered their manners and started ringing the doorbell. It was a bit confusing that everyone began by simply entering without knocking. Maybe something to look at in future with regard to consistency.
Now, the cast (of only 6) did a fantastic job, especially considering the slightly less than responsive audience (I think I was the only one at risk of setting off the under 50 alarm!) so with no more ado I will now discuss my thoughts on each cast member in detail.
Tom Lambert (Rob Walker)
This is my first time as an audience member to Rockingham Theatre and I must say you definitely set a high expectation for any other shows I go and see in future. You have a definite talent for comedy and did a fantastic job. Your body language and facial expressions were occasionally a tad over the top, almost pantomime-y (not sure if this was the fault of the actor or the director). My one other critique was when the tape recorder malfunctioned - your fellow actor was so close to saving the situation with a convincing 'Oh well, never mind, we'll listen to it later' and you said the line that was obviously supposed to come after the tape's playback 'That's definitely me...' as if in answer to the tape. Maybe keep an eye out for things like this in future – things that can go wrong will go wrong so have something up your sleeve for such an event. Your lines were enunciated very clearly and your projection was excellent. A top job.
Lucy (Suzanne Mettner)
I must admit, your character had me a little baffled at the end of the first act. I had seen this charming female character at the start of the show who simply picked up her underwear and left, seeming to have no further development. I was a little disappointed - this character seemed like fun! Has she left us!? However, when I saw your character again as the queen of all scam artists I knew my fears were unfounded. You did a good job of a challenging role - Lucy has to go from sweet one-night-stand to evil scam-queen and you showed both sides of her character quite well. Perhaps in future with a character like this you could, for example, play up the evil scam-queen a bit more - after all, her sugarsweet persona at the start is what she's pretending to be and the scammer is who she really is. She's really a horrible person and you could have a lot of fun portraying her as such. A bit more passion in the delivery of your lines and the whole audience will be on their feet demanding they hunt you down for that painting! Keep it up and I look forward to seeing you on stage again.
Albert (Terry Winter)
Absolutely hilarious. You had excellent comic timing and everything seemed relaxed and natural. You had an excellent stage presence and were definitely a favourite for the evening. I was reading in the program that you are certainly no stranger to the stage and it shows - your confidence in the character and relaxed attitude made the audience hang off your every word and eagerly await your return to the stage to have us all giggling again. An amazing job, you should be thrilled.
Sarah (Helen Roughley)
A difficult role to play especially given that your character had so many twists and turns and emotions to portray. Some of your dialogue was played a little flat - I found there were moments when someone would answer 'Stop shouting!' to something you said quite calmly. However, your character as the ex-wife accountant was played very well, and I found myself waiting for your character to reveal the next twist in the plot. Your character's jokes were delivered very well and everyone got a good laugh out of them - just remember to leave a bit of a gap for the audience to laugh in. Sometimes I found myself gearing up for a good laugh but was cut short by your next line. An enjoyable performance.
Mr Dodds (Willy Smeets)
Absolutely, without a doubt, stole the show in my mind. You did a fantastic job, my man - your characterisation was absolutely spot on and never wavered. I was reading in the program that you are not only a former debt collector but also a newcomer to the stage which makes this all the more amazing - something went wrong and you covered it almost flawlessly! Some believe 'if you rehearse enough things will never go wrong' but those of us that have been in the biz for a while know that is never true, something ALWAYS goes wrong and it takes a quick-thinking mind and a bit of experience to cover it the way you did. You played your character brilliantly with both strong verbal and non-verbal communication. An absolutely brilliant performance in every way.
Cynthia Lens (Sue Walker)
Ah, the Chief Investigative Officer! Excellent. Absolutely excellent. Your character seemed so driven and focused (as she should) and towards the end as the plot thickened you showed your character's insecurities and flaws very, very well. Your facial expressions, body language and voice showed your emotions beautifully and your comic timing was excellent. You were well-suited for that role and you portrayed the character in a manner that was both believable and enjoyable. There was an occasional line that was delivered while facing the back of the stage – you were still very clear and easy to hear but your facial expressions (which as I said, were excellent) were sadly lost. A fantastic job!
Overall, my family and I were pleasantly surprised with the quality of the show and will definitely be back again. Congratulations to all involved and break a leg for your future performances... and sorry for the length of my review. :)
The WatcherSat, 27 Mar 2010, 12:17 am
Friday, 26 March 2010
Despite having been a resident of Rockingham for several years I have never gone and seen a performance by my local theater club - thus myself and my fiancée went along this evening to the Rockingham Theater for the very first time to watch this evening’s performance of ‘My Friend Miss Flint’.
I was given a quick talk by a very helpful and smartly dressed usher (all the ushers wore matching Rockingham Theatre Company blazers - very professional!) who showed me where the toilets were and where to purchase tickets and drinks. Rockingham Theatre Company is to be commended for their ushers - polite, helpful, and most of all knowledgeable about their theatre. At interval I also purchased a few drinks from a comical and friendly barman.
A gentleman usher at the door pointed me in the right direction and I took my seat in the first row. Comfortable seats, though every time I shifted my leather belt made an uncomfortable squeaking noise against the vinyl seat which led to the elderly lady next to me giving me increasingly frustrated looks. I considered making a game of the situation - for example, seeing how many frustrated looks I could get in a minute - but before I could consider this amusing game further the clear and friendly voice of an announcer reminded us all to turn off our mobile phones and prepare for a night ahead.
The curtain opened to reveal an absolutely fantastic set, realistic in every way. The level of detail was amazing to even the tiniest degree - the books on the shelves were relevant to the character, as were the certificates, whiteboard and decorations. There were no items of set or props that were 'representing' something else - everything was perfect. Definite pats on the back for a fantastic set!
Now, the props... it has to be said, there was one prop which failed to deliver. Anyone who saw the show will know what I am talking about - the tape recorder. Twice in the show the tape recorder is obviously supposed to play some pre-recorded dialogue - and both times it failed to do so. However, it was only a minor thing. The first time the incident occurred (I will go into greater depth on this later in my review) it was very nearly covered by some quick thinking by one of the actors. The second time it was covered almost flawlessly but for a slight hesitation that gave it away. I'd suggest testing the recorder first before it is used but I'm sure this was done - just one of those technological glitches that never seem to go away... maybe record the sound separately and simply mime using the tape recorder in future.
Also as an afternote, maybe a thought for the director... again, being fairly nitpicky here, but I noticed in the first act of the show every character simply entered the apartment to begin chatting, then in the second act everyone remembered their manners and started ringing the doorbell. It was a bit confusing that everyone began by simply entering without knocking. Maybe something to look at in future with regard to consistency.
Now, the cast (of only 6) did a fantastic job, especially considering the slightly less than responsive audience (I think I was the only one at risk of setting off the under 50 alarm!) so with no more ado I will now discuss my thoughts on each cast member in detail.
Tom Lambert (Rob Walker)
This is my first time as an audience member to Rockingham Theatre and I must say you definitely set a high expectation for any other shows I go and see in future. You have a definite talent for comedy and did a fantastic job. Your body language and facial expressions were occasionally a tad over the top, almost pantomime-y (not sure if this was the fault of the actor or the director). My one other critique was when the tape recorder malfunctioned - your fellow actor was so close to saving the situation with a convincing 'Oh well, never mind, we'll listen to it later' and you said the line that was obviously supposed to come after the tape's playback 'That's definitely me...' as if in answer to the tape. Maybe keep an eye out for things like this in future – things that can go wrong will go wrong so have something up your sleeve for such an event. Your lines were enunciated very clearly and your projection was excellent. A top job.
Lucy (Suzanne Mettner)
I must admit, your character had me a little baffled at the end of the first act. I had seen this charming female character at the start of the show who simply picked up her underwear and left, seeming to have no further development. I was a little disappointed - this character seemed like fun! Has she left us!? However, when I saw your character again as the queen of all scam artists I knew my fears were unfounded. You did a good job of a challenging role - Lucy has to go from sweet one-night-stand to evil scam-queen and you showed both sides of her character quite well. Perhaps in future with a character like this you could, for example, play up the evil scam-queen a bit more - after all, her sugarsweet persona at the start is what she's pretending to be and the scammer is who she really is. She's really a horrible person and you could have a lot of fun portraying her as such. A bit more passion in the delivery of your lines and the whole audience will be on their feet demanding they hunt you down for that painting! Keep it up and I look forward to seeing you on stage again.
Albert (Terry Winter)
Absolutely hilarious. You had excellent comic timing and everything seemed relaxed and natural. You had an excellent stage presence and were definitely a favourite for the evening. I was reading in the program that you are certainly no stranger to the stage and it shows - your confidence in the character and relaxed attitude made the audience hang off your every word and eagerly await your return to the stage to have us all giggling again. An amazing job, you should be thrilled.
Sarah (Helen Roughley)
A difficult role to play especially given that your character had so many twists and turns and emotions to portray. Some of your dialogue was played a little flat - I found there were moments when someone would answer 'Stop shouting!' to something you said quite calmly. However, your character as the ex-wife accountant was played very well, and I found myself waiting for your character to reveal the next twist in the plot. Your character's jokes were delivered very well and everyone got a good laugh out of them - just remember to leave a bit of a gap for the audience to laugh in. Sometimes I found myself gearing up for a good laugh but was cut short by your next line. An enjoyable performance.
Mr Dodds (Willy Smeets)
Absolutely, without a doubt, stole the show in my mind. You did a fantastic job, my man - your characterisation was absolutely spot on and never wavered. I was reading in the program that you are not only a former debt collector but also a newcomer to the stage which makes this all the more amazing - something went wrong and you covered it almost flawlessly! Some believe 'if you rehearse enough things will never go wrong' but those of us that have been in the biz for a while know that is never true, something ALWAYS goes wrong and it takes a quick-thinking mind and a bit of experience to cover it the way you did. You played your character brilliantly with both strong verbal and non-verbal communication. An absolutely brilliant performance in every way.
Cynthia Lens (Sue Walker)
Ah, the Chief Investigative Officer! Excellent. Absolutely excellent. Your character seemed so driven and focused (as she should) and towards the end as the plot thickened you showed your character's insecurities and flaws very, very well. Your facial expressions, body language and voice showed your emotions beautifully and your comic timing was excellent. You were well-suited for that role and you portrayed the character in a manner that was both believable and enjoyable. There was an occasional line that was delivered while facing the back of the stage – you were still very clear and easy to hear but your facial expressions (which as I said, were excellent) were sadly lost. A fantastic job!
Overall, my family and I were pleasantly surprised with the quality of the show and will definitely be back again. Congratulations to all involved and break a leg for your future performances... and sorry for the length of my review. :)