A Night in Provence

‘A Night in Provence’ is hilarious romp from 75 year-old, British playwright, Robin Hawdon.

This production can be seen in the comfortable Harbour Theatre, in the Port Cineaste Building, 70 Adelaide Street, Fremantle. Curtain up at 8.00 pm nightly until Saturday 23^rd March. There is a 2.00 pm matinee on Sunday the 10^th and again on the 17^th March.

Geordie born Robin Hawdon, in addition to writing several of the most successful British comedies, was for about twenty years of his youth, a TV actor, appearing in such BBC series as ‘Compact’. Although he now lives in Bath, surprise surprise, he has a house in the south of France – and another in Australia!

The Harbour Theatre is celebrating its Golden Jubilee - that is 50 years of quality service and entertaining the Fremantle public. The team have produced a first-class, colour illustrated history of The Harbour Theatre for $25, so take an extra couple of bob for a copy.

Yet another very impressive set from Nicola Bond and Peter Kirkwood. The scene is a luxury rental villa in Provence, overlooking the Mediterranean near Nice. The tastefully decorated, modern lounge area has an ‘en suite’ kitchen. The entrance is a hardwood, glazed door leading onto the white tiled floor. There is a patio area with French windows exiting from the master bedroom. The whole scene is one of taste, quality and opulence.

        The sound of an approaching car can be heard, followed by the chattering of a Cockney couple. Their taxi departs and they enter the apartment. Middle-aged businessman, Fred (Michael Dornan) wants to start his French holiday straightaway with a bit of romance, but his attractive, frigid wife, Judy (Tina Barker) is not interested, after all she has a designer kitchen to enjoy. 

       They are expecting the arrival of an Irish couple, whom they met many years before and have shared their holiday flats with since. Meanwhile, Fred quickly claims the best bedroom.

        Another car approaches, but instead of their friends it is a young, good-looking French couple, the owners of the villa. Maurice (Rob Tagliaferri) purrs in his French accent that the agent had not informed them that the villa had been taken and that Fred and his wife must leave. After all, they are the owners and have travelled from Paris for a quiet holiday alone. Maurice’s pretty wife, Yvette (Chloerissa Eadie) is less subtle in her approach; she wants the English scum out immediately.

        A few minutes later, the Irish couple, slightly dim Shaun (Marcus McGavock) and his effervescent wife, Moira (Ann Speicher) arrive. Things don’t get any easier. In fact European unity goes down the drain in the fight to claim residence in this holiday villa.

There are many wonderful, politically incorrect lines in this play, with plenty of digs at the traits of the various nationalities and yet the whole play was extremely funny and inoffensive. The script could have been thinned out a little to increase the pace, but the strong cast, with a wonderful chemistry between them, gave the most delightfully subtle and yet hilarious performances. Robin Hawdon, the scriptwriter and the award winning director, Nicola Bond aimed for the ‘dry comment’ and subtle body language approach rather than a farcical pandemonium, and it has paid off perfectly.

Rob and Chloerissa had some tricky French dialogue, combined with plenty of thick accent when speaking English, but this didn’t interfere with their diction and projection which was faultless. Congratulations to the dialect coach Pascale Benkirane.

The lighting (designed by Rob Tagliaferri, operated by Grace Hitchin) was demanding, with a night scene being especially effective. The noises-off sound effects were beautifully handled by Vanessa Gudgeon. I am always surprised how often sound operators feel that the sound of traffic etc must have the fader fully up. Vanessa’s effects sounded as though they were actually outside and some distance away. Well done.

I won’t list the large team of scene builders and decorators, but their workmanship was outstanding, a magnificent set.

The Harbour Theatre is one of Perth’s hugely successful groups that ensure a good solid, quality production every time. The acting and direction is always of the highest standard – yes, I paid for our tickets and owe no favours!

A simple storyline, but one which we will all have recognised in friends. Treat yourselves to an evening of belly laughs.