The Ex Factor

‘The Ex-Factor’ is another hilarious comedy / farce by Warrington playwright Ian Hornby. In the past 20 years, ex electronic engineer Ian has written 30 comedies and thrillers for the stage. This play is having its Australian Premiere at Rockingham’s Castle Theatre, 8 Attwood Way, Rockingham; it has its 2-hour performances nightly at 7.30 until Saturday 31^st March, with a Sunday matinee on 1^st April at 2.00 pm. 

      To the singing of ‘The Tractor Song’ by the Werzels the curtains open to another wonderful set. It is a farmhouse in the south of England that has just been renovated and converted to a bed and breakfast by Phil (David Heckingbottom) and the new love in his life, Jane (Helen Brown). Jane is a hands-on farming wife and helps the rough and frustrated farmhand, Ron (Michael Stocks) manage the pigs and cows.
      Arrangements are looking good, the first guests are due to arrive the next day – when to their horror the couple turn up a day early. With virtually nothing in the fridge and only a few bottles of very potent potato wine to drink how will they feed the elderly guests. Mrs Petersen (Alison Gibson) is quite demanding, and despite their bedroom not being ready for them still demands the best. Her husband (Dave Jones) is as deaf as a post and constantly gets the wrong end of the stick.
       By chance Jane finds out that there are two other important guests due to arrive, the beautiful ex-wife of Phil, Felicity (Sue Murray), or Godzilla as Jane prefers to call her, and her new husband, Lawrence (Terry Winter) who has an amazingly sexy occupation.
      Why don’t Phil and Jane simply turn this embarrassing couple away? Could this be the happiest day of farmhand Ron’s life?

I have seen several comedies and farces by this group, and without exception the quality is always brilliant. The direction of Larraine Craig and David Heckingbottom with this genre is first class. Here, Larraine, who even ran the rehearsals during her honeymoon, has come up with another winner. Hornby’s clever script is fresh and funny, but the direction and the delivery by this great team take the comedy to another level. Sue Murray bravely spent half the play in her flimsy underwear and an amazing collection of shoes that would have had Imelda jealous. Everyone captured their characters and soon had the belly laughs flowing.

With the small crew of Sue Lawson, Rob Walker and Peter Scarrott, the costumes and teching was still above average.

Have a good laugh at a sensible price. Very funny.