Kris Weber's World of Theatre

TEN TIMES TABLE by Alan Ayckbourn
Presented by Heidelberg Theatre Company
Directed by Maureen McInerney
Reviewed (July 15) by K.E. Weber
Cast: Mick Poor, Peter Spackman, Joan Moriarty, Bernie Butler, Jenny Hamilton, David Callinan, Jim Murphy, Elonna Marcon, Adrian Vanda.

Alan Ayckbourn's plays have been amateur theatre staples for many years - in particular the three that make up The Norman Conquests - and while they are good box office, I have never really liked them. This one did have a few good moments, and Heidelberg did it well, but on the whole it did little for me.

All of the action takes place in the run down ballroom of a local hotel, which is used as a meeting room by a group of local citizens for the purpose of planning a pageant based on a vague historical event known as, ‘The Massacre of the Pendon Twelve.' Act 1 concerns itself mainly with these meetings which degenerate, for reasons of politics, one-upmanship and a general loss of control (sound familiar?), into battlefields. In spite of these differences two sub-committees are formed. One is lead by the young Marxist, Eric Collins (David Callinan) and represents the proletariat, the other, representing the army, is in the hands of the acid tongued Helen Dixon (Joan Moriarty). Soon the committee is irrevocably divided, and once Helen Dixon enlists the aid of the militant Tim Barton (Jim Murphy), the scene ( and the remainder of the play) is set for nothing short of chaos.

Farce quickly overruns comedy in Act 11, which is complete with ill-fitting costumes, an equine model (because a real horse was vetoed by the local police), on which the now very inebriated Lawrence Adamson (Adrian Vanda) is to lead the battle, a piano recital by the hearing impaired Aubrey Evans (Bernie Butler) , a counter move by the other side and other assorted silly bits.

Thankfully, the pandemonium in the final scene was extremely well harnessed and therefore clean. The overall pace was good as was the timing (so important in comedies). I liked the feel of the production - it was not only lively but alive. Credit here goes to the director, Maureen McInerney, who was obviously in control every step of the way. Sound (from actors over-speaking to effects and music) was used well, enhancing the general state of confusion. Costumes were fabulous, and I think the idea of cast assisting in scene changes a good one.

A comedy (simply because of its expectation to be funny) can often be more difficult to play than a drama, but it was obvious that the players here were comfortable with and cognizant of their task. Mick Poor gave a sound performance as the hapless pacifier and chairman of the committee, Ray Dixon. Hapless, mainly because his life's partner is the highly judgmental and petulant Helen, played with relish by Joan Moriarty. Peter Spackman was also enjoying himself as the pompous pedant, Donald Evans. I felt Bernie Butler didn't look quite old or fragile enough as the 80 plus Aubrey Evans , but sometimes precise characterizations don't matter in comedy and, on reflection, I don't think it mattered here. Jenny Hamilton's Sophie Barton was pleasantly unaffected as was David Callinan's Eric Collins and Elonna Marcon's Phillipa. Adrian Vanda was great as the lush, Lawrence Adamson. His mobile face was never still, producing a highly amusing array of appropriate expressions. Jim Murphy was fabulous as the countrified lunatic Tim Barton, stealing the show on many occasions with his rumbustious style and excellent timing.

Even though this play did not tickle my somewhat fickle funny bone as much as it was designed to do, it was ,all in all, a fun production that had most others rolling in the aisles.