Written by John Peel
Directed by Jon Norman
What a fabulous evening spent watching the magnificent Medstead Players in their latest production, ‘Meet The Neighbours’. After being fed a delicious supper and a few glasses of fizz, we were then engaged in a play of humour and wit!
The stage was set with removal boxes, dining table, sideboard; a married couple just moved house and keen to start on a positive foot with their new neighbours. What could possibly go wrong?! Well it all became apparent with plenty of laughter! The exchanges between the couple were hilarious, probably because it was so relatable!
Carol was the strong, steadfast wife who took pride in her home, keeping husband in check and keen to make good impressions. Each character added something unique with different personality traits; we had an opinionated academic, a bohemian fussy eater, an overbearing mother which was all hilarious! We had to feel sorry for husband Ted who was made to sit in the ridiculously small stool at the table and had to open his ‘special’ bottle of wine!
Excellent directing and well done to all the actors - a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
[KS]
The Medstead Players’ production of 'Meet the Neighbours', a one-act comedy by John Peel, was well up to the high standard established by this company over many years. This one-act play directed by Jon Norman opened on a very realistic scene of the dining-room of an ordinary house, only two days after Ted (Dominic Clifford) and Carol (Tania McCullough) had moved in. Minimal furniture, stacked cartons and a newly-hung picture looked the part.
Carol was determined to make the most of a new start, stung by a whole series of problems with previous neighbours. This time she was going to get off on the right foot with the couple living next door, and had decided to invite them to dinner regardless of what Ted thought. While setting the table, Carol asked Ted to move and sit on a tiny folding stool despite his understandable reluctance. His aplomb with this, particularly when getting up again, was admirable. Firmly in control, Carol told Ted to smarten up and he complied after token resistance, although he railed against her checking him for body odour.
Initially unhappy about the imminent dinner party, Ted clearly became slightly intrigued when Carol said the couple were both female; his expression said it all. Carol then briefed him all about the no-go areas for discussion, before checking on the steaks in the kitchen. A scream followed, together with some angry words from Carol about a visiting cat she had found and ejected.
The dinner guests eventually arrived. Camilla (Julia Halls) and Gwen (Nicki Tindale) were very distinctive characters; the picky academic Camilla and the decidedly bohemian Gwen. After the introductory chat, Gwen bursts into tears about their cat Livingston, who had been very upset and was behaving oddly. Carol asked about Livingston’s markings and said he had visited earlier, but said no more about the circumstances and expressed hope that he would soon be back to normal.
Following awkward conversations, the doorbell rang and Gwen’s mother Violet (Sharon Blackshaw) arrived, in a complaining mood and forcefully inviting herself to be a third dinner guest. Violet took Ted’s seat and Ted used his little stool instead, as Carol directed. It was hilarious to see Ted struggling, his head barely above table height.
Suddenly a noise appeared from outside; it was Carol and Gwen’s intruder alarm. Looking through the window, they see that they have been burgled and immediately leave to investigate. Violet then tells Carol and Ted that this has happened previously. Uh oh...
Flashing blue lights then appeared outside the window, and Ted saw a police car, which ran over a cat, probably Livingston. Violet then revealed that Camilla and Gwen had sold their house and would be moving away in a couple of days; they could not stand the neighbours! Poor Ted again looked out of the window, seeing, with some puzzlement, ‘punk rocker’ people exiting a minibus. Violet identified them as the Browns ‘your new neighbours’. Oops...
The audience enjoyed plenty of laughs and it was a fine evening’s entertainment; a great job by all the cast and crew.
[DF]
Cast:
Camilla - Julia Halls
Carol - Tania McCullough
Gwen - Nicki Tindale
Ted - Dominic Clifford
Violet - Sharon Blackshaw