By Fanny Charles
Salisbury’s Studio Theatre company is one amateur dramatic society you never think of as “amateur” – its standards are as high as members’ ambitions. The choice of plays is always varied and interesting, and audiences know they will have a great night.
So expectations were high for ‘A Bunch of Amateurs’, the Ian Hislop and Nick Newman play based on their original screenplay filmed with Burt Reynolds and Sir Derek Jacobi. That had mixed reviews, and when you see it done by a first class amateur company it’s easy to understand why: it is much, much funnier when the audience knows the performers, and the performers are subtly (and expertly) poking fun at themselves and the genre.
The premise of the show is a classic misunderstanding – fading Hollywood hard man and womaniser Jefferson Steele has reached the end of his blockbuster franchise when his agent picks up a call for King Lear at Stratford. The ageing Lothario, whose (off-screen) physique is more real-life Tom Cruise than muscle-man Schwarzenegger, pitches up in Stratford SUFFOLK (not on-Avon) and finds himself in the midst of a genuine amateur drama – the Stratford Players are desperate to raise enough money to buy their barn-theatre and this is the last throw of the dice.
Jefferson (Paul Chalmers) is a man who is not used to learning lines, doesn’t take direction and has never read the play (or, we can guess) anything by Shakespeare. Dorothy, the director (Samantha Luckman, pictured above), has a genuine background in theatre and knows how she wants the production to work.
Nigel, country solicitor and theatrical knight – in his dreams – (David Rhodes) knows he ishould be playing Lear, Dennis, stage-manager and man of many parts, including poor blinded Gloucester (Kristian Hamilton-Brain) just wants to have fun. B&B owner Mary (Sally Marshall) has a crush on Jefferson, although she does get muddled about which films he was actually in.
Lauren, PR wife of the show’s brewery owning sponsor (Sophie Newton) is there to make sure everything is running smoothly. After all, what could possibly go wrong?
And into this maelstrom of superstar ego, luvvies tantrums, directorial angst and Shakespearian tragedy comes Jessica Steel (Fabia Alexander), Jefferson’s estranged daughter, sent to England by her mother who is off on her latest honeymoon.
Anthony von Roretz’s direction was sure-footed, helped by an experienced cast, each of whom perfectly understood their character and the play-within-a-play structure. There were so many laughs that one audience member was heard to say at the interval that she wished she hadn’t put mascara on.
You expect wit from Hislop and Newman, and there were plenty of one-liners as well as the am-dram insider jokes but the poignant prospect of the company losing its home also ensured there were plenty of tears too.
It’s amazing what a bunch of amateurs can do!