Fresh from their astonishing work out as the rude mechanicals in the Royal Shakespeare Company's countrywide production of Midsummer Night's Dream - Carnon Downs Drama Group continue their tradition of tackling contemporary drama and imaginatively revive David Hare's play "Amy's View" written in the late 90s which follows the falling fashions in, and relevance of the theatre (a subject that Hare's career at the NT staunched) the rise of TV, from the late 1970s to the mid 90s. A family thespian story set in suburban Pangbourne follows through the lives of Esme Allen ( characterfully played by Oriel Bennett) we discover as a traditional leading lady dismissive of her son-in-law Dominic Tyghe's (Dylan Frankland) populism as a TV personality and critic and where personal animosity to him muddies her relationship with daughter Amy Thomas (Zoe Vale). Traditional dismissive and snobby attitude to money lead Esme to the trauma of the Lloyds syndicate crashes and other contemporary scams that plagued the upper middle classes delivering the heroine into the hands of her nemesis accountant- financial adviser.
Its an intriguing play, entertaining in exploring the manipulation within family relationships and generations, ambition, the rise of the critics and opinion formers as above creative writers and "artists". Carnon Downs group under the direction of veteran local director producer John Frankland supported by a very well organised front of house and stage management team gave a convincing and entertaining performance with notable performances by Oriel Bennett and Martin Brett as Frank Oddie. Performed in the round in Perranwell Centre (the village hall) the stage was a bit too large so that audience on raked seating were flung to the two ends of the room and we lost sense of intimate emergence in the drama. Stage props were country miles from each other which meant lot of pacing around by the cast was required. Also the projection of the script onto one wall in large letters simultaneous with the performance (not used as a prompt - the cast were excellently rehearsed) was a distraction for those of us who do not require audio description (98% of the audience) from immersing ourselves inside the text and the drama.
Its an intriguing play, entertaining in exploring the manipulation within family relationships and generations, ambition, the rise of the critics and opinion formers as above creative writers and "artists". Carnon Downs group under the direction of veteran local director producer John Frankland supported by a very well organised front of house and stage management team gave a convincing and entertaining performance with notable performances by Oriel Bennett and Martin Brett as Frank Oddie. Performed in the round in Perranwell Centre (the village hall) the stage was a bit too large so that audience on raked seating were flung to the two ends of the room and we lost sense of intimate emergence in the drama. Stage props were country miles from each other which meant lot of pacing around by the cast was required. Also the projection of the script onto one wall in large letters simultaneous with the performance (not used as a prompt - the cast were excellently rehearsed) was a distraction for those of us who do not require audio description (98% of the audience) from immersing ourselves inside the text and the drama.
Comments