Written By
Ray Cooney
Where and When
12th – 14th March 2009 @ The Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne
The Plot
A London cab driver, John Smith, literally has two lives, complete with two different wives, Mary and Barbara. Somehow, he manages to juggle them both without arousing suspicion. However, he gets caught up in a mugging, and wakes up in a hospital. He ends up with the wrong wife by his side, and is forced to deal with explaining things to both of his wives and the police all at once.
Cast
- Detective Sergeant Troughton – Jeremy Austin
- Newspaper Reporter – David Brown
- The Aged Parent – Joe Brooks
- Stanley Gardner – Rob Cording
- John Smith – Andy Cragg
- Bobby Franklin – Graham Hawkins
- Detective Sergeant Porterhouse – Simon Jackson
- Mary Smith – Caroline Papp
- Barbara Smith – Penny Pearson
Creative Team
- Director – Barry Baynton
- Set Designer – Mark and Jackson Ellen
Gallery
Reviews
Marily Barber – Stour and Avon Magazine
RAY Cooney’s best loved farce received a slick airing in Wimborne last week, delighting the audience who responded with giggles and at times belly laughs.
It’s a cleverly constructed plot telling the story of a London cabbie, John Smith, whose juggling of two households goes spectacularly awry when he intervenes in a mugging.
It is impossible to single out one actor from the eight-strong cast as all deserve accolades, and so I will take them in order of appearance.
Caroline Papp taking her first major role as wife number one, Mary Smith went from irritation to sheer hysteria as her seemingly ordered life unravelled into a web of improbability.
Penny Pearson had played wife number two, Barbara, on a previous occasion, and she brought a confidence to the role.
Andy Cragg coped with the challenging role of the duplicitous John Smith with panache.
If there is one actor who is born to play the part of a quirky, yet pedantic policeman, it is Jeremy Austin who reprised his role of Det Sgt Troughton – which he first portrayed in 1996. A master of facial expressions, he is a first rate character actor.
Rob Cording is one of the best young actors on the local scene and he clearly relished his first opportunity to go for laughs.
Simon Jackson bumbled beautifully as DS Porterhouse and Graham Hawkins was a scream as the over-the-top dress designer from upstairs.
David Brown clearly enjoyed his brief appearance as the reporter/photographer.
Finally Barry Baynton deserves recognition for directing such a well-rehearsed and tight production which gave the audience such a jolly evening.
A triumph.