9th October 2009

CADS get to grips with intricate plot

Theatre review by Keith Jenkin

I HAVE to say that the road surface into Chardstock has improved. I used it several months ago, to view a Chardstock Amateur Dramatic Society production and was marginally surprised on that occasion that one or two of the larger potholes did not contain a couple of squaddies, together with a bren gun.

CADS most recent production, Sharkey’s “The Creature Creeps” was in fact a lampoon that poked fun at one or two TV programmes. The plot was quite an involved one and the script contained a fair bit of innuendo and a real plethora of ambiguity.

Mad scientist Donald Von Blitzen, a benign Frankenstein with a touch of Bram Stoker thrown in, was played by John Williamson who, apart from cutting an imposing figure in the role, got the “wink, wink, nudge, nudge” aspect of the script just about right.

He had good support from Dorothy Williamson who played his wife Maritza, being sinister and flippant in turn and who boasted a singing voice that would crack an anvil.

Star of the show however was, to my mind, that cackling, lurching sub-human Mord, Von Blitzen’s assistant, played by Ady Goff. His maniacal laughter never faltered. His difficult gait was consistent and he certainly threatened as he carried one or two off to the cellar.

The role of Daisy, the scatty daughter was undertaken by Katie Read.

Her part was a large one and included many of the script’s ambiguities. It demanded clear diction, something that she did not always give, and one or two of the humorous moments were lost as a result.

Two who certainly did have clarity of diction were Frank Stirling (Josh White), Daisy’s betrothed, and Babsy (Jen Boxell), Daisy’s college chum, with the latter really entering into the spirit of the script and reacting to the melodramatic situations, while Karen Churchill, apart from providing the continuity to the complicated plot, certainly banged a mean dinner gong in the part of Gretchen the housekeeper.

Chief of Police Heinrich Shtunken (Mike Spellar) enjoyed a pretty hectic life on stage, being affianced to all four of the Zitzen sisters at the same time Hannah, Freda and Olga and Heidi, (Nicola Boxell, Claire Allen, Charlotte Collins and Becky Simpson). He seemed to cope however and even gave the impression that he enjoyed it. It fell to him to draw the final strings of the story together, and this he did well.

Yes! “The Creature Creeps” is a play with a pretty intricate plot and also some intricate dialogue and it certainly stretched the society. No change of scenery is involved and clearly considerable thought had been given to the construction of the set. The costumes certainly fitted the bill and the sound affects were most appropriate.

Sharkey’s work was difficult to stage and, all in all, I felt that CADS made a pretty fair job of it.

Production: director - Chris Williamson; prompt - Jonathan Milford; lighting - John Cloke; sound - Alex Billing, David Billing; set - John Williamson, Becky Simpson; make-up - Sarah Williamson, Marie Tessier; Stage manager - Naomi Boxell.

CADS get to grips with intricate plot

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