Written By
Alan Aychbourn
Where and When
2nd – 4th March 2006 @ The Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne
The Plot
Roleplay is the story of the hopelessly mismatched Justin and Julie-Ann. They are about to introduce their respective parents to each other over dinner – Justin’s upper-crust alcoholic mother from Surrey and Julie-Ann’s bigoted Yorkshire father and prim mother. Into this doomed scenario drops Paige Petite, a former lap-dancer with suicidal tendencies and her gun-toting minder. A high-energy farce from one of Britain’s foremost comedy playwrights.
Cast
- Justin Lazenby – Stuart Glossop
- Julie-Ann Jobson – Boo Feltham
- Paige Petite – Penny Pearson
- Micky Rale – Graham Hawkins
- Derek Jobson – Jeremy Austin
- Dee Jobson – Jean Dishington
- Arabella Lazenby – Jan Singfield
- with Paul Dodman and Dave Williams
Creative Team
- Director – Michael Dishington
- Set Designers – Jacson Ellen, Stuart Glossop, Jan Singfield and Mark Ellen
- Stage Manager – Clare Downs
- Stage Crew – Barry Baynton, Roy Birch and Penny Whipp
- Set Construction – David Pile, MArk Ellen and The Company
- Costumes – Carolyn Hewitt and The Company
- Publicity and Programme – Richard Neal
For the Tivoli Theatre
- Production Manager – Russell Parker
- Stage Management – Ashey Thorne and Steve Charters
- Lighting and Sound – Don Sherry
Previews
Gallery
Reviews
The cast of RolePlay, the latest production by Wimborne Drama, embraced their parts convincingly, each appearing to wear the mantle of their adopted personas with ease and comfort.
The third in a trilogy isn’t the strongest play from the pen of Alan Ayckbourn, but it is popular with local societies, and was staged by Ferndown last year. Like so many of the comedies produced by the prolific Ayckbourn, it is set at a dinner party destined to go from uneasy to disaster.
Justin Lazenby (Stuart Glossop) and Julie-Ann Jobson, his fiancee (Boo Feltham), are preparing to entertain his mother and her gentleman friend, and her parents, when their party is gatecrashed by an ex lap dancer and her gun toting minder.
Playing a drunk is no easy task, and it is all the more credit to Jan Singfield that she managed to totter and slur so convincingly as Justin’s mother, as she had spent two months in rehearsal for the part of the servile Dee Jobson.
The role of Mrs Jobson was taken over by Jean Dishington, who being petite in stature, was a perfect foil for her stage husband Derek, played by Jeremy Austin, a tall actor whose expression can go from lugubrious to animated in seconds.
Penny Pearson clearly enjoyed her role as the ex-dancer Paige Petite, as did Graham Hawkins with his portrayal of minder Micky Rale.
Wimborne Drama have the support of local businesses, as items for the set were supplied by Kitchen Style of Wimbome, Sturtons and Tappers and Stewarts Gardens Centre. Kellie Shemilt produced the original artwork for the riverside night skyline.
They say you can choose your friends but not your family. So it was with some nervousness that Justin and Julie prepared a dinner party that included Julie’s parents and Justin’s mother.
All was running reasonably smoothly until the arrival of two unexpected guests from upstairs and then the fun began.
The larger than life Garden Centre owner Derek Jobson (Jeremy Austin) and his long-suffering wife Dee (Jean Dishington) made a good comedy team.
The apple of their eye Julie-Ann was demurely played by Boo Feltham but the character suffered because at times she was too quiet that we missed a lot of her funny lines.
As Justin’s mother, Arabella, Jan Singfield was a delightfully drunken upper-class lady and had some of the best lines in the play.
Penny Pearson’s mouthy tart Paige Petite was just right and had some dance moves that would grace any lap dancing club.
Trying to hold the whole evening together as everything began to fall apart was Justin extremely well played by Stuart Glossop with all the confusion and desperation he could muster.
The play lacked pace and energy to begin with but gained momentum as the action progressed and was an enjoyable evening.
Programme
