Seasons Greetings - People's Theatre- Review

Season's Greetings

People's Theatre 
14th Nov 2017

Written by Alan Ayckbourn
Directed by Hugh Keegan


The first thing that strikes you as you take your seat for the People's Theatre's current production is the set. It is a mini reproduction of a beautiful, well-to-do home; living room with leather armchair, dining room with impressive dining suite and drinks cabinet, a hall with Christmas Tree and presents at the foot of stairs leading to a landing. Two low walls delineate the boundaries between the downstairs rooms, and two doors can be seen leading - we will discover - outside to the front of the house, and to the kitchen and the back of the house. At the top of the stairs a door leads to the out-of-sight bedrooms. As we will soon discover much of the important drama happens offstage in the rooms that cannot be seen by the audience.

A family and friends have gathered in this beautiful house to celebrate Christmas together. They all know each other well and it is clear that this is a ritual Christmas gathering. The hostess Belinda, (Anna Dobson) decorates the tree while her sister-in-law, Phyllis (Alison Carr) is in the kitchen preparing the Christmas Eve supper. Uncle Harvey (Tony Neale) watches a film on TV, drawing each member of the household in to share the action at different points: "Oh this is a good bit this, watch! There he goes! Ha ha ha!" This becomes a refrain through scene one.
It looks at first like a perfect Christmas scene, but the cracks gradually begin to show. Other than Harvey the men are no-where to be seen. Pregnant Patty (Kate Reilly) is upstairs trying to settle the overexcited children and calls for her husband, Eddie (Reg White) to come up to their son, who won't settle till he sees his father. Belinda's husband Neville (Sam Hinton) appears and is reprimanded for not serving drinks that were asked for over an hour earlier, and he and Belinda spat while Eddie finds excuses not to go upstairs. Bernard (PhilHodes) appears, flustered from the kitchen where Phyllis, a little the worse for drink has had a mishap. And so it goes...as the festive season progresses the jealousies and resentments are revealed. The only one who seems happy is Harvey as he gleefully pokes and prods at the weak spots like a boy prodding a sleeping bear with a stick.

Into this dysfunctional group comes Clive, (Ben Ostell) the new blood. The "sort of" new boyfriend

of youngest sister Rachel (Ellie Pullen). He is good looking and interesting - a writer, a divorcee -

and he has an impact on the women, and the balance, of the house. There is an immediate attraction between him and Belinda - which will lead to the hilarious climax of Act 1. There is a sense that this Christmas story has played along the same lines for several years and that this year Clive will prove to be a catalyst that changes the direction of the usual holiday bickering. Throughout the play Ayckbourn drops little hints and clues to the plot - if you are paying attention you will be able to see how the action will unfold and you just know it is not going to end well! The idea of the family Christmas from hell has become something of a stereotype, but Ayckbourn's observation of character is incisive, and he gives the situation enough of a twist to avoid the stereotype. He shows us the fragility and the strength of family relationships and he does it with immense humour - from the dancing reindeer and erratic alarm clock, to Bernard's painfully funny and farcical puppet show.

The cast performances are excellent - the timing and delivery under the direction of Hugh Keegan, are spot on. The puppet show is a tour de force as Patty confuses the pig puppets and causes chaos with her bump in the confined space, and Harvey gives a running commentary of sarcasm on Bernard's excruciatingly tedious show.

This is a great seasonal show - a perfect antidote to the tinsel and twee-ness of Christmas adverts and perfect preparation for the cut and thrust of the season of Christmas shopping!

Season's Greetings plays until 18th November.

Denise Sparrowhawk                                                                      *photo credit: Jim Mohan