I Met A Man Who Wasn't There , White Rock Theatre ,Hastings

I Met A Man Who Wasn't There 

Cast

Amanda Schilling (Journalist) - Cathy Shipton

Edgar Ryme (Clairvoyant) - Brian Capron

9-11 June 2011

performance seen 9th June

Or I could rename this I Sat In An Audience Who Weren't There

Now I have sat in some pitifully small audiences lately but this was small to the extent that I am surprised Brian and Cathy went ahead with this. There were 4 of us in the front row followed by row after row of empty seats with just an odd person dotted here and there and a couple of small groups at the back.

If there were as many as 50 people I'd be surprised. It really did seem truly weird sitting in such an empty, cold feeling, auditorium.

I guess it may not be helped that the White Rock Theatre haven't used Twitter for almost 2 months (Twitter ID @The_White_Rock) to keep their followers updated. I honestly don't know how much effect social networking has with putting a few bums on seats but, when it costs zero to do so, surely you try anything?

Other than the price of tickets, I honestly can't fathom why the figures were that appalling. Here are people who I consider to be very fine actors and who are performing for Bruce James Productions who have been respected over many years for staging many popular shows to suit all tastes.

OK there was one recently I didn't enjoy, OK hated actually, but people aren't going to rave over every show they see and to be fair I've still not found a soul who did like it.

I met a man who wasn't there is a totally different kettle of fish. Journalist Amanda Schilling is visiting clairvoyant Edgar Ryme to undertake an interview. Unsurprisingly it's not as simple as that and Schilling gets far more than she bargained for from the very mysterious Ryme. But does Cathy Shipton end up being a casualty? (I know terrible pun) Does she deserves what she gets?

It's a spooky tale with a good balance of humour and drama. The story is believable (especially if you believe in ghosts) and easy to follow. Capron and Shipton deliver the fine performances you would expect.

For me there were just two issues. One is something that happens in so many plays and I hasten to add not specific to James productions. That is that the first half leading the audience to the traditional interval cliffhanger seems very drawn out.

There are plays that can have you gripped from the off, you find yourself just absorbed in proceedings. Indeed my next review will be of a show that is just that. Then there are those, like this one, where it takes quite a while for the 'scene setting' to take place.

My second issue is lack of atmosphere but this was purely down to the lack of audience. I think any play suffers from a lack of viewers and this was no exception. No oooohs, no aaahs , nobody jumping at moments when they are meant to. Between sets you are never quite sure whether to applaud or not because there's a danger somebody might just throw you a fish for your efforts. Then there's laughter  - you laugh at a line and believe you're the only one that did - was it meant to be funny? Do I have a warped sense of humour? Or did the joke just go over the heads of everybody else?

Back to that first half and it showed that the initial build up was failing to hold the attention when from high above the stage a rectangular piece of paper about 2"x1" slowly descended into the auditorium. A slow decent it was indeed because being the shape it was it just rolled over and over and fluttered gently down. It caught my eye, but when it was about half way down I remembered it was not part of the show and looked around and everybody was doing the same. I thought I was bad getting distracted by such a small thing but by sheer fluke it landed at the feet of one of the few audience members. Clearly the temptation to look at it outweighed the onstage action as she bent down to pick it up and examined it.

I know I laughed at this point. Here we are watching a ghost story involving clairvoyancy and I had to wonder if she was expecting a message from the other side?

Anyway, the few of us that were there got back to reality. Once you know who's who and Schilling's and Ryme's backgrounds have been explained this is actually an extremely enjoyable drama. As with all similar tales things are never what they seem with the characters and there are the twists and turns you expect to keep you fascinated. This makes the second half very entertaining indeed.

These are really hard times for theatre and it was somewhat heartbreaking seeing two well known 'household' names such as Brian Capron and Cathy Shipton unable to attract even a moderate audience. Even describing it as a small audience seems an exaggeration.

It really is getting to a stage where whoever decides on ticket prices has to think about whether they can be justified to continue at current levels. Not just for this show but for all shows, everywhere. 

Audience levels are getting down to pathetic numbers. Take this production as an example. Prices ranged from £13.50 to £18.50. I'm no marketing or economics expert but if a price cut of approx 30% was set making tickets £9.50 to £13.50 I'm sure the under £10 tickets would have filled a darned site more of the auditorium then we experienced and I daresay net takings would have been much higher.

It's about supply and demand. When petrol prices reached their peak and people stopped filling tanks the oil companies reduced prices. Wake up theatre land the Government is slashing arts budgets enough and if you don't start getting folks enjoying live entertainment at a price they can afford they are not going to come and once they stop it's going to be harder than ever to get them back.

Don't people in the theatre industry get together to discuss audience numbers, prices and current issues? If they don't it's high time they started otherwise we will see theatres going the same way the Public Houses have - closed, sold off, demolished or converted into trendy wine bars or housing.

If you ask anyone who goes to the theatre why they don't go so much the answer is always price of tickets. So powers that be in theatre wake up and smell the coffee because it's starting to get cold.

Columbo, Prescription Murder, Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne

Columbo

'Prescription Murder'

Devonshire Park Theatre

Eastbourne

29 Mar - 2 April 2011

Performance seen 29 March

Cast
 (appearance order)

Miss Petrie - Karen Winchester
Doctor Ray Flemming - Brian Capron
Claire Flemming - Alexandra Boyd
Susan Hudson - Elizabeth Lowe
Lieutenant Columbo - John Guerrasio
Dave Gordon - Richard Walsh
Delivery Man/ Detective - Kasper Michaels

TV to stage 'conversions' have become quite the fashion in the last few years. And why not? If you get a popular programme and do a good job of the production it may just get many people into the theatre who are normally professional couch potatoes.

Getting it right though is the difficult part. The characters we relate to on our TV screens become so familiar, their mannerisms so etched in our minds, that you expect any actor to replicate them flawlessly.

Dad's Army, Dinner Ladies, Last Of The Summer Wine, Inspector Morse - just a few examples of recent noble attempts at recreating iconic series. They got close, but no cigar..... bringing us appropriately onto our cigar loving detective and his appearance of a member of the 'dirty mac brigade' - lieutenant Columbo.

My wife and I may not watch much TV but we do like 'the old favourites' Columbo being one of them. We have watched every programme from every series umpteen times including the spin off movies and the pilot episode on which this show, Prescription Murder is based.

Just to be really picky we made a point of watching the TV version 24 hours before this performance.

We couldn't see how this was going to work. Especially with this episode having a variety of locations including an airport, on board a plane, Acapulco, Universal Studios, the Flemmings' apartment, the police station and Susan Hudson's home with its pool.

But that was a minor concern the main one being how was anybody going to do justice to a role played so distinctively by the one and only Peter Falk. Demonstrating comical aspects of the character, yet retaining the ability to switch to 'bad cop' mode, the scruffy appearance, the facial expressions, cigar smoking, bad eating habits, odd manners and the numerous other quirks that any fan knows and loves.

Anybody familiar with Columbo looking to enjoy this theatrical edition of Prescription Murder is not going to accept anything less than brilliance.

When the Middle Ground Theatre Company first toured this production Dirk Benedict starred as the lieutenant. Whilst reviews were extremely favourable many thought that Dirk could have made more use of the stage and opportunities to demonstrate Columbo's quirks and mannerisms.

Enter stage left .... John Guerrasio. From the moment Guerrasio appears you know how much research he must have put in to study Peter Falk's actions. The appearance is brilliant - the tousled hair, the badly buttoned raincoat, the voice, even John's face resembles Falk's, he's also of similar stature. You have the feeling that if Falk told you John was his brother in real life you would believe it.

I read a tweet on Twitter the other day which said something along the lines of "Who is this John Guerrasio bloke playing Columbo? I would have rather have seen Dirk Benedict when he was in it!" My answer would be "Don't knock it if you haven't seen it!"

Acccomplished actor John Guerrasio may not be the well known  'household name' that Benedict is but I would rather watch a lesser known actor who can do the job 100% rather than a well known one who is nearly there.

So how does the Prescription Murder plot and script get carried over to the stage and how do we cope with all those locations? With some of the most clever scriptwriting is the answer together with some brilliant additional actions mainly from Guerrasio.

Because of this extremely clever adaptation we can make do with a very functional 3 location set. The locations being the Flemmings' apartment, Dr Flemmings office and reception area and Columbo's interrogation room. That's it.

So we've lost several key locations but does it affect the story or the enjoyment of it? Not in the slightest. Instead of Dr Flemming and Miss Hudson flying off to Acapulco where he is to dump the 'stolen goods' on a fishing trip spoken references are made for plans of a trip 'up north' to drop them in a lake on a fishing trip. The same goes for Flemmings and Hudson's staged argument on the plane. The plans are made clear but you don't need to see it happen to keep up with the plot. In fact references are left in which could easily have been taken out. Whilst we don't see 'Tommy' who falsely admits to the crime the subject is raised with Flemming whilst Columbo is with the doctor in his apartment, the script from the show perfect in it's transition.

On the subject of the script it impressed me greatly. Just how much of the original was able to be lifted and transferred word for word into this show is an outstanding achievement. Mind you I am also aware that Prescription Murder was penned as a play 'Enough Rope' before the TV pilot show was made. The writers were Richard Levinson and William Dunk. This earlier writing could explain some other small but otherwise curious changes from the pilot TV show. Burt Gordon becomes Dave Gordon in this performance. Carol Flemming becomes Claire. They are so trivial these changes do not affect enjoyment in the slightest, they just leave me curious.

John Guerrasio has mastered Peter Falk's art of being able to switch from an apparently bumbling, meddling, cop to harsh interrogator. He also adds so many classic actions which were not demonstrated by Falk in the TV version, but which were truly typical of the character. I won't spoil them as it will detract from your enjoyment of the show. What I do know is that John inserted many of these actions himself, they were not scripted, but they give polish to what is already a first class performance.

So the lead character is great but how do his fellow actors match up? I'll go in programme order.

Miss Petrie, Doctor Flemming's secretary, is impressively played by Karren Winchester. I like the way that Petrie's character has been made a light hearted, somewhat eccentric character in this production. It works. In fact Karens role seems to be the one role which probably has more to do in this play than it did in the actual TV show. This is especially vital in the end scene. Whilst I won't ruin the ending it was clearly impossible to have a house and swimming pool on stage. But the alternative ending, same outcome different location, keeps Miss Petrie involved.

The role of Dr Roy Flemming was played on screen by Gene Barry. It needs an actor who can do cold, calculated, devious, smug, selfish, self-centred and some would even say slimy. The perfect job in fact for Coronation Street's serial killer Richard Hillman and that's why he has the part!

The last time Brian was at the Devonshire Park Theatre he was a funny bumbling idiot learning to dance in Stepping Out.

In Prescription Murder he's doing what he does so brilliantly - killing again! Nobody does creepy and chilling better than Capron. However, fortunately his off screen and stage persona is much, much nicer. This always very friendly actor brought wife Jacqueline and son Louis along to see this great production and to attend the first night reception. I think all could see that Brian is very proud indeed of his family. I always find him a pleasure to talk to. I find it so funny how 'murderers' can so often turn out to be friendlier than comedians!

Alexandra Boyd (another ex Corrie Star) plays Claire Flemming whilst it may be a short-lived appearance she does her death completely justice. It was also good to see that unlike the corpse in The Black Veil she stayed still in death!

I thought Elizabeth Lowe did an incredible job as mistress Susan Hudson. She had the characteristics of Hudson just right. The glamorous babe. The woman so incredibly in love with 'her man' she is oblivious to the fact she is being used. The woman who gives the impression she is confident in her accomplice role yet inside is gradually having doubts and feeling insecure. I think this is the one role which could so easily have been "over-acted" but Lowe  does just what is needed to be viewed as 'the other woman' leaving the audience to concentrate on the developments between Columbo and the murderer.

Those of us who are old enough will remember Richard Walsh fondly for his long term role in TV's London's Burning as "Sicknote". Here in Prescription Murder Richard is given the task of playing Dave Gordon. Gordon is a friend of Flemming's and he helps by pulling a few strings with a view to getting Columbo pulled off the case.

It isn't the most involved role by any means but Walsh does a mighty fine job of the crucial scenes he does appear in. Leaving such a pivotal role out of this production would not have worked.

Last but not least is Kasper Michaels who has a couple of key appearances as laundry delivery man and a detective. Again they may not be the most involved roles , however but for the plot to work on stage they are vital.

I must thank Kasper for his interesting facts on the history of this production after the performance. Not having read the programme at that stage I wondered why this episode had been chosen over so many others which may have been easier to produce based on locations required. It was Kasper that explained that Prescription Murder was a play originally and then it made sense.

It's rare I give any play 5/5, even long established favourites, so to give it to a 'TV adaptation' is especially unusual.

A superb production all round. Great sets, excellent cast, fine acting and John Guerrasio's take on Columbo is sublime.

It is such a tragedy and great shame that Peter Falk has suffered from Alzheimer's since a series of dental operations in 2007 and that he can no longer even remember playing the iconic role of Columbo. I think even the great man himself would be impressed by John Guerrasio's portrayal of him.

Incidentally the usual applies if you are interested in any of the signed celebrity playing cards in support of Great Ormond Street Hospital for children. Click any 'card' image to get further details from my photo description on Flickr

Stepping Out Review Jessie Wallace, Brian Capron, Rosemary Ashe

Stepping Out

Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne

9-14 November 2009

Performance seen 9th November

Cast (in programme listed order)

Geoffrey - Brian Capron

Sylvia - Jessie Wallace

Mrs Fraser - Rosemary Ashe

Rose - Wendy Mae Brown

Maxine - Carrie Ellis

Vera - Lucy Woolliscroft **

Lynne - Katie Kerr

Andy - Johanne Murdock

Dorothy - Karen Traynor

Mavis - Lucy Williamson

Fairy - Rosemary Ashe ***

** Understudy filled in for Susie Fenwick

*** Would have been played by Lucy Woollicroft

Stepping Out: "An award winning comedy by Richard Harris."

But there is more to this show than comedy as there is quite a lot of drama throughout, some of which is very intense.

In a nutshell Stepping Out is the story of a group of dance class attendees all of whom are attending not so much to become accomplished dancers but to escape their own very different problems in the outside world.

For this reason if you go to see Stepping Out expecting simply comedy you may come away disappointed. Go to see it with a view to seeing some very funny comedy combined with some very emotional drama and the result will be very different.

It seems like a bit of a slow starter while we discover the stories behind the faces. Everyone has a story from the solitary male member to the dance teacher herself.

It would be a bit of a spoiler if I ran through all the individual stories so I'll just go through the cast.

Former Corrie bad boy Brian Capron plays Geoffrey - the solitary male. Having read the script Brian decided to play the character and dress him in the way he thought it would work best.

For a moment you could think he may have returned to Coronation Street to take more than a few tips from Roy and Hayley Cropper. Roy for his total drippiness and Hayley for her outstandingly awful dress sense. Geoffrey wears a selection of hideous pullovers that must have taken some considerable shopping around for. It must be great to go into a clothes store and to say "It's hideous! I'll take it!"

The result though, as you can imagine, is hilarious and far removed from the sinister character of Richard Hillman we saw in Coronation Street.

Another soap star, Jessie Wallace, plays Sylvia. The actress who played Kat Slater in Eastenders plays a buxom, big headed, brash, loud mouthed, bit of a tart. Yes you've guessed it - it's Kat Slater - just in a colourful leotard. As you can imagine though she is perfect in the role.

The marvellous Rosemary Ashe is the pianist for the group. An outstanding pianist she is too - it's a formidable talent to have on top of being a renowned film, TV and theatre actress. Rosemary mentioned she has actually been asked if she is actually playing the instrument or just pretending! Thanks to some incredible make-up Rosemary is transformed wonderfully into the miserable "old battleaxe" Mrs Fraser in this play.

Susie Fenwick (who appeared recently in Menopause The Musical) was unable to appear so understudy Lucy Woolliscroft filled her shoes as the snooty, designer gear mad, Vera.

If you hadn't read or been told that the understudy was covering you would have been none the wiser. This is a huge role and Lucy played it flawlessly. It's a performance made all the more impresssive by the fact she is understudy for no less than 4 lead roles in Stepping Out.

For dramatic ,emotional performances it would be so hard to choose a winner between Johanne Murdock (Andy) and Lucy Williamson (Mavis the dance teacher) so I won't even try. They are equally brilliant at what are both quite emotionally charged roles considering this is still a comedy at heart.

Wendy Mae Brown, Carrie Ellis, Katie Kerr and Karen Traynor are all also marvellous at displaying the individual quirks and telling the background stories of their own particular characters.

One of the key things that works so well is that there is really no real lead role - all characters have equal importance.

This is a play that does have a "build up period", and yes the ending is somewhat predicable, but the end result is still a very entertaining evening out with a great performance from a very talented, friendly cast