WHEN the delayed first night of the latest Ayckbourn play to appear at Malvern Theatres, Just Between Ourselves, finally got underway on Wednesday night it proved worth waiting for.
A powercut might have put paid to Tuesday's show but there was plenty of electricity crackling through a claustrophobic atmosphere just 24 hours later, all created by the five-person cast.
"Classic tragedy" would have been more accurate than the "classic comedy" billing the play received. Its only set contains a Morris Minor that can't move from its garage.
A combination of awful jolliness and lack of empathy from husband Dennis (Les Dennis) and sniping from his mother (Jean Boht) drives Vera (Kathryn Pogson) into severe mental illness, while Dennis' pusillanimous accomplice Neil (Matthew Cottle) inadvertently makes married life a prison for frustrated wife Pam (Dorothy Atkinson).
Greater variation in Dennis' delivery could have provided more comic relief, but brilliant acting from the female cast members made sure it didn't matter.
The play runs until tomorrow (Saturday, July 6).
Jon di Paolo
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