Don't Ask Trevor and Susannah
“You’re the one who makes me violent. I was a pacifist before I met you.”
Trevor
“Do you mean that when I’m giving my all, you’re thinking about floorboards?”
Malcolm
Sir Alan Ayckbourn’s output of plays is remarkable, and like him in the 90s or in the high 80s depending on whether you count plays like The Norman Conquests as one or three. His gentle humour excels with brilliant one liners and he builds unusual plots out of familiar settings. In Bedroom Farce one couple Trevor (Ben Porter) and Susannah (Allie Croker) create havoc in the three bedrooms onto which they descend. Fortunately, we never see the bedroom of this chaotic couple!
We open in the bedroom of Ernest (Stuart Fox) and Delia (Julia Hills), parents of Trevor. They are going out to dinner to celebrate their anniversary but Ernest is very concerned about damp and water leaks in their house. They discuss their son Trevor who is not communicating with them at present. They have misgivings about his wife Susannah and say that they preferred Jan (Georgia Burnell) his previous girlfriend. We switch to the bedroom Stage Left in Michael Holt’s clever three bedroom set, of Nick (Damien Matthews) and Jan where Jan is getting ready to go to Kate (Rhiannon Handy) and Malcolm (Antony Eden)’s housewarming party. Nick is in bed in extreme pain with an injured back.
The final bedroom, Stage Right, is Kate and Malcolm’s where both hide each other’s shoes in the bed. These three bedrooms have different activities. The older couple eat snacks, pilchards on toast in bed as the anniversary treat, Nick tries contortion to reach the paperback copy of Jaws which he is reading without getting out of bed and Malcolm will end up assembling a dressing table in a scene which reminds me that the Edinburgh Fringe this year has a show called Read the F…ing Manual on how to assemble an IKEA wardrobe. The assembly of the said table in the Ayckbourn play is hysterically funny as Malcolm tries to make amends for Trevor ruining the party. Susannah will catch Trevor kissing Jan and Susannah is already unhinged with jealousy of Jan.
Robin Herford gets some sparkling performances from his cast of actor farceurs. I especially warmed to bed ridden Nick who has the deliciously laconic delivery and looks of Roger Allam. With his physical humour confined to being in bed, he is outstanding. Casting Agents Alert: If Allam is too busy, Damien Matthews is your man.
Whilst there is no actual sex in Bedroom Farce Malcolm and Kate discuss it much to his chagrin. “Do you mean that when I’m giving my all, you’re thinking about floorboards?” Trevor will call on Nick to apologise for kissing Jan and there will be more misunderstanding. Suzannah meanwhile will call on Trevor’s parents and disrupt their sleeping arrangements. Trevor and Susannah annoying conclude after disrupting other people’s evenings.
Go to the Mill in Sonning for a fabulous supper and this frenetically funny farce. I can think of no nicer way of spending an anniversary and certainly better than Delia and Ernest’s evening!
Production Notes
Bedroom Farce
Written by Alan Ayckbourn
Directed by Robin Herford
Cast
Starring:
Stuart Fox
Georgia Burnell
Allie Croker
Antony Eden
Rhiannon Handy
Julia Hills
Damien Matthews
Ben Porter
Creatives
Director: Robin Herford
Set Designer: Michael Holt
Costume Designer: Natalie Titchener
Lighting Designer: Graham Weymouth
Fight Director: Jonathan Leverett
Information
Running Time: One hour 55 minutes with an interval
Booking to 21st September 2024
Theatre:
The Mill at Sonning Theatre
Sonning Eye
Reading
RG4 6TY
Website: millatsonning.com
Box Office: (0118) 969 8000
Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge
at the Mill at Sonning
on 9th August 2024
