Written By
Ray Cooney and John Chapman
Where and When
27th – 29th October 1983 @ The Allendale Centre, Wimborne
The Plot
Timothy Westerby is overworked, underpaid and stressed out – and his daughter Judy is getting married in what he considers an overly lavish and expensive ceremony. Ripe for a nervous breakdown, he finally has one on the morning of the wedding, when he hits his head and meets Polly, a gorgeous young woman who finds him irresistible. Trouble is, Polly is just a hallucination! Convinced that Polly is real, Timothy delights in welcoming the alluring guest to Judy’s wedding. Meanwhile, he and his wife, Ursula – who is less than thrilled over Timothy’s obsession with Polly – contend with a host of complications and a barrage of colorful guests.
Ticket Information
Cast
- Ursula Westerby – Pam Feltham
- Judy Westerby – Christina Barnes
- Dr Gerald Drimmond – Joe Brooks
- Daphne Drimmond – Joyce Eidmans
- Timothy Westerby – Ted Buss
- Bill Shorter – Peter Brooks
- Polly Perkins – Carolyn Woodward
- Charles Babcock – Spencer Hare
Creative Team
- Director – David Green
- Properties – Margaret Pope, Sharon Swatling and Susan Melhuish
- Propmpt – Raymonde Grenville
- Front of House – Daphne Young
- Stage Managers – Muriel Brooks and Jim Ruegg
- Lighting and Sound – Roger Grenville
- Publicity – Carolyn Woodward
- Set Design – David Green, Thelma Dryden and Muriel Brooks
Gallery
Reviews
Good but not the best!
There was a general air of appreciation about the latest offering from Wimborne Drama Club, There Goes The Bride, a comedy bt Ray Cooney and John Chapman, at the Allendale Community Centre last week.
The audience on opening night was generous, and in fact, there were a few who thoght this was the best Wimborne had done for a long time. While not wishing to go that far, it was certainly a good show and the box office returns show that you can’t go wrong with a comedy.
The play has a touch of Noel Coward;s Blithe Spirit about it – the ethereal girl invisible to everyone except the central character who sees her only because of a bang on the head,
It worked well fro Wimborne, and for David Green, a stalwart wit the society, who was producing for the first time, it was a success. The play lacks Coward’s charm and wit but nevertheless theer are all the possibe situations which can arise given the set of invisible circumstances, and the players made best use of them.
Some years ago Wimborne struggled to get new players, but now there always seems to be a fresh face on stage. This time was no exception with the central character of Timothy played by Ted Buss who came virtually straight from the African bush. The slight twang of a Zambian accent didn’t cause any offence and he, like the production, got better and better as the show went on.
The other newcomer was Pam Feltham as his wife who has not been on stage for 10 years, which – with her talent – was a waste of a decade.
The old stagers included Joe Brooks, who was again on to a winner as a grand-father, The other minor characters were all played by Tina Barnes, Joyce Eidmans, Peter Brooks and Spencer Hare with Carolyn Woodward as the delightful Polly who was super.
Behind the scenes were Margaret Pope, Sharon Swatling, Susan Melhuish, Raymonde Grenville, Dapne Young, Muriel Brooks, Jim Ruegg, Roger Grenville and Thelma Dryden.
Battered father of the bride
Funny things sometimes happen to girls on their wedding day. In There Goes The Bride, a comedy by Ray Cooney and John Chapman, it is the brides father not the bride who gets the treatment.
An accidental blow on the head starts the ball rolling and he is knocked off balance within the meaning of the act, puns, mixed metaphors and all. The problem then arises of getting the bride to church on time. A second blow on the head makes matters worse, convincing the old boy that he is not imagining things when he starts seeing them in the shapely form of Carolyn Woodward put temptation in his way.
Depending on one’s sense of humour, here are the makings of a hilarious comedy or of a rather dreary evening. It must be said that most of the first night audience at teh Allendale Centre for Wimborne Drama Group’s production found the play exceedingly funny though this observer, alas, was not one of them.
A marvellously designed set made it easy on the eyes and an energetic performance by Ted Buss as the father of the bride, particularly in the second half, counted for much.
In the first act some of the cast seemed none too sure of themselves but Pam Feltham, as the brides mother, was a notable exception while Joe Brooks as the grandfather went from strength to strength as the action rolled on.
A pity the pace in the closing half hour was not in evidence earlier when the talents of Joyce Eidmans and Peter Brooks might have been seen to greater advantage. iss Woodward sailed around sweetly enough and Spencer Hare, who had to wait a long time for admission to the family circle, was not out of his depth by any means. Tina Barnes was the not so blushing bride.
The paly was produced by David Green
Programme
