Three-course comedy on the menu

Ravensbury Players: All Will Be Revealed, at Ramsbury Memorial Hall from Wednesday, April 21 to Saturday, April 24

All Will Be Revealed comprised a triple comedy with supper, from Ravensbury Players.

In Spring Song Singers, the cleaner (Gillian Leake, splendidly acerbic and no-nonsense) is about to clean the village hall when the group of singers turn up unexpectedly, in evening dress, to rehearse for their evening performance. The posh conductor (a well-controlled performance by Mark Davies) gets increasingly frustrated with his rather shambolic choir and ditzy pianist (a lovely portrayal by Rosemary Barfield). It seemed increasingly unlikely that they would actually sing anything, but they did manage to get out one verse of Sing Something Simple before realising that they had come on the wrong day. An enjoyable short comedy directed by Jessie Gunton, who made good use of the entire hall.

All is Known was set in the 1960s with hippie Ian (confidently played by Matthew Hayes, complete with long hair and CND medallion) proposing to Kate (Samantha Wells) and then trying to win over her parents (Graham Curtis and Beverley Mann, with Cora Jackson excellent as Grannie). He does this by the simple but surprisingly effective expedient of saying “all is known” in a mysterious manner, which immediately makes them fess up to their guilty secrets. Not a great play, but very well performed by all the cast.

After the interval, with bread and cheese and cakes, came The Fat Lady Sings in Little Grimley. David Tristram’s Little Grimley plays provide the perfect opportunity for a group to go over the top, and Ravensbury Players certainly made the most of it. John Barker gave a manic performance as Gordon, the leader of the four luckless thespians whose standing as village am-dram society is being usurped by a newly formed group, and when he appeared in military uniform, ‘over the top’ seemed quite appropriate. Gaye Adolph had the best part as Joyce, the frustrated singer. With her voice, her movements and her expressions, this was a delightful performance. Penny Setter and David Hobbs completed the cast as Margaret and Bernard. 

Ravensbury Players have used this format of comedies plus supper before – it was clearly popular with the enthusiastic audience.

PAUL SHAVE