Review

It Runs in the Family

The Ullenhall Players

Ullenhall Village Hall

THE Ullenhall Players have a fine pedigree when it comes to presenting farce and their annual offspring bore a distinct family resemblance.

Ray Cooney's play was yet another production with talent, energy, timing, hilarity and some superb performances.

Set in a hospital doctors' common room, the pace picks up quickly after a slow start.

Despite constant interruption from crotchety Sir Willoughby Drake, Dr David Mortimer is preparing the most important speech of his life, one which could lead to either a knighthood or oblivion.

Serious stuff. Until that is, with minutes to go, former nurse Tate arrives out of the blue to announce the result of their last encounter had now attained the age of 18, had purple hair and was at that moment heading upstairs to say hello.

Add to the mix an unsuspecting wife, a tenacious police sergeant, a shrill matron and two colleagues - one who is as camp as they come and busy preparing the Christmas panto, the other a hapless fool who for the moment must play dad!

The ensuing chaos and mayhem is relentless with excellent character performances from the entire cast, particularly Martin Shuttleworth as the sergeant, Lynsey Randall as the voluptuous ex-nurse Tate, Linda Gill as Matron and Dan Blizzard as camp Dr Connolly.

Eclipsing even these were two outstanding performances from Pablo Raybould as the hapless and increasingly agitated Dr Bonney and Robert Eccleston as almost unflappable Dr Mortimer.

This is a first-rate show with the usual attention to detail.

If you missed it, there is still another chance as it transfers to the Norbury Theatre, Droitwich, later this month.

I highly recommend it. There's a great twist at the end.

Take a hanky and prepare to laugh!

JUSTIN WILKS