Written and Directed by Marion Rogers
Medstead Players presented their latest production in the village hall on three nights in April. The play, The Staggering's Fortune, was written by Players' member Marion Rogers. The story takes place in the 1950s in Sir Algernon Crombie-Smythe's house.
Sir Algernon (Stan Whitcher) is a bullying ex India type who lives with on-the-shelf sister Glorianna (Anita Prior) and niece, ever so bright young thing Amanda (Kerry Prior). It soon transpires that Amanda is in love with Timothy Huntingdon Stag (Stuart Laidlow), who was brought up in India by father Hector (Peter Hobbs) and now lives next door. On to the scene arrives an American couple on honeymoon whose car has broken down. The American, Boregarde Finkler III is not only on honeymoon but searching for a long lost relative. The inevitable happens when Hector turns out to be the relative and is also the long lost love of Glorianna who went to India and changed his name when the Crombie-Smythe family refused his overtures to Glorianna. Algernon is now forced to give his consent to Amanda marrying Tim and all ends well with everyone teamed up. The cook, Mrs Ample (Sue Ovell) with the gardener handyman Gooseberry Sunday (Mike Overy), Algernon with Miss Prunella Pervis Puttock (Carol Bedingfield) and the doddery Bains the Butler (Bill Edwards) with the maid Madelaine Sunday (Olivia Southern).
Along the way there is a lot of humour with an almost farcical script. There was good pace throughout the play and even Peter Hobbs, who had taken over the part at short notice due to the illness of Geoff Rushton, carried off his character well.
The Americans played by David Rae and Val Coombs held their accents well and their characters, often difficult when the dialog becomes fast moving and so many other accents are present.
Marion Rogers is to be congratulated On her script and the Players for another performance that had the audience laughing and this was another play that the Medstead Players will look back on with pride.
The backstage staff must be congratulated for producing a particularly good set and sound effects. Marion Rogers was her own director and the play was produced by Anita Prior. Stage manager was Dick Smith.
[Peter Cansfield]
Staggerings Fortune was funny and well paced with a great set and oh too scary sound effects. Staggering indeed was the pace held up by so many cast members. A cast of twelve evenly matched actors is not easy to find or control, but it was well achieved here. It showed good stage direction and such a very funny script, well done Marion.
The cast appeared relaxed and well rehearsed, just a few fumbled lines but well overcome.
Stan Witcher as Sir Algernon was suitably pompous blustery and stuffy, with a well held cut glass accent. Anita Prior as Glorianna was dotty but kind and with a happy result to her 'wasted life'. Kerry Prior as Amanda, very precious and bubble headed balanced well by Stuart Laidlaw as Timothy - nice but dim. Bill Edwards showed a talent for comedy as Baines the butler and was excruciatingly funny and doddery until a bump on his head steadied him. Olivia Southern balanced him well in more ways than one, as the whinny and 'in love' Madeleine.
Carol Bedingfield as Prunella was determined to get her man and David Rae held his accent well as Texan, Boregarde (nice legs too). Hector was played by Peter Hobbs - a last minute stand in, although it would not have been noticed, had it not been announced. He was very Raj and measured upper crust. Well done indeed.
It was great to see Mike Overy as a good Gooseberry even though he veered from West country to Lancastrian but that was well compensated for by his facial expressions. His slow leer was funny and well received as he made his feelings for Mrs Ample very clear. Praise indeed also to the lovely Mrs Ample, played well by the talented Sue Ovell, stalwart of the house and again great facial expressions, well timed and not overdone.
Thank goodness someone has persuaded Val Coombs to tread the boards again, well held accent and clear diction, funny lines well delivered, a good performance all round.
Special praise must go to the costume. Authentic and so many changes. How nice to harp back to an era when people dressed for dinner! (not that I can remember!)
A good evening Players, thank you. [Nita Simpson]
"I feel I must sing the praises of the "The Medstead Players". Having never seen any of their productions before, I didn't know what to expect. But what a treat! Each and every member of the cast was excellent. I shall look forward to their next production." [EA]
"A particularly enjoyable evening at the theatre. The play was so absorbing because of caring about the characters and wanting all of them to be happy in the end (but no agony about dire straits) - and so funny." [EW]
"Characterisation and pace - full credit to Marion Rogers, both the writer & director - witty, wry dialogue. Such good acting, especially the body language and the fortuitous matching of shapes & character:- Gooseberry Sunday (Mike Overy) and the cook Mrs Ample (Sue Ovell). Will Kerry Prior (Miss Amanda) ever escape her perfectly comic 'Daddykins', 'Auntiekins' and whatever 'kins'?" [EW]
"We enjoyed the play very much. Congrats to all cast and others." [TS]
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Sir Algernon Crombie-Smythe (overbearing widower) - Stan Whitcher
Miss Glorianna Crombie-Smythe (Algernon's sister) - Anita Prior
Miss Amanda Crombie-Smythe (Algernon's daughter) - Kerry Magennis Prior
Bains (the elderly butler) - Bill Edwards
Gooseberry Sunday (the head gardener) - Mike Overy
Timothy Huntington Stag (a young admiring neighbour) - Stuart Laidlaw
Miss Prunella Pervis Puttock (a weekend guest/family friend) - Carol Bedingfield
Madeleine Sunday (the young maid & Sunday's daughter) - Olivia Southern
Mrs. Ample (the cook) - Sue Ovell
Hector Huntington Stag (Timothy's father) - Peter Hobbs
Boregarde Finkler II (a Texan oil tycoon) - David Rae
Emilou Finkler (Boregarde's wife) - Val Coombs
The Staggerings Fortune was first performed by the Medstead Players in April 1989.