The Browning Version and Harlequinade   (Review)

(Terence Rattigan; Directed by Colin McLean)

  Review

COMBINATIONS - May 2008

The Browning Version and Harlequinade

By Terence Rattigan at The Peterhouse Theatre

Reviewed by Chris Shinn 

With the current closure of the ADC, Combined Actors chose the intimacy of the Peterhouse theatre for their Spring production. What better therefore than to stage a Terence Rattigan double bill, for which this venue was particularly well suited. Not that this was an easy task. Two distinct sets were required as well as the seven cast members of the first play also being involved in the second. 

The evening started with The Browning Version, which tells the story of unloved classics master Andrew Crocker-Harris, who is facing early retirement from an English Public School. The setting adequately conveyed the master’s sitting room, with semi-wood panelled walls and just the right furniture, well placed to make the best use of the compact acting area. Martin Woodruff gave an excellent performance as ‘the Crock’, a man resigned to his fate but determined to keep a stiff upper lip to the end. He easily portrayed the stoicism of the character and the moment when he broke down was truly moving. Suzanne Jones as his unfaithful wife Millie certainly looked the part, but I felt in an otherwise good performance, exhibited at times an uncharacteristic hesitancy. Mark Bak as science master Frank Hunter gave an assured performance, however I did find his delivery was rather hurried at times, thus a few of the lines were lost.

Peter Sayer as Taplow has to be a young star in the making. He has the timing and delivery of someone way beyond his years and this was a very believable performance. Hugh Mellor was very creditable as the Headmaster as were Robin Owen and Sara Bennett as the new classics master and his wife. The applause as the cast took their curtain call was well deserved and showed how much the audience enjoyed this fine play. 

The second half gave us Harlequinade, a complete contrast. Described in the programme as a light-hearted insight into the lifestyles and idiosyncrasies of a touring company, it was the perfect lift we needed after the emotional wringer of the first half. By utilising much of the previous set with a few additions, Tony Broscomb showed what a clever designer he is. We were now transported to the dress rehearsal of Romeo and Juliet in a theatre in the Midlands. Martin Woodruff, this time as Arthur Gosport,  showed he is quite capable of providing comedy as well as the more serious stuff. His aging Romeo, complete with young man wig, was another fine performance. Suzanne Jones was excellent as his wife Edna and together you could really believe they had been treading the boards inseparably since time began. There were more good performances by Peter Sayer, as Johnny, and Mark Bak as Jack. Hugh Mellor gave an amusing portrayal of a 1950’s policeman, with the two other first half survivors Robin Owen weighing in as Fred Ingram, and Sara Bennett as Muriel, Arthur’s previously unknown daughter. I did feel that perhaps there could have been more work done on her Birmingham accent though. Margaret Clark gave a lovely performance as Dame Maud as did Kimberley Tongish as Jack’s fiancée Joyce. Clive Young was suitably cast as veteran ‘jobbing actor’ George as was Diana Lloyd as the fluttery Miss Fishlock. Simon Hirst was effusive as the theatre manager and the cast was completed by Tom Mead as Muriel’s husband Tom.