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Picking on an Englishman's passion for cricket as the background for this story was going to be a challenge, go too far and you spoil it, not going far enough and you leave people wanting, but in the words of one of the characters in this play Alan Ayckbourn gets it just about right. This is the story of a troubled man, cricketer and chairman of the school's governors with a wandering wife, who becomes aware that the focus for his repressed emotions is receptive to them. From there onwards Ayckbourn's craft takes you on a delightful journey.
“A Cricket Match” is in repertory at the Round, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough from the 5th August until the 20th September, 2006. This is a No Smoking theatre.
What can you say about the two brilliant actors who mesmerise the audience into following them into their world. Are there more than two people taking all the parts in this play or is some trick being played and other actors are being conjured up from some hidden store. So good is the acting that you may never know, but you will enjoy. Claudia Elmhirst and Bill Champion flit from one character to another with such ease that you wonder when they finish this run at the Stephen Joseph theatre whether they will find their rightful selves before they are asked to fulfil more roles to entertain the public. Whatever happens this is a high for them and they should enjoy it to the full.
Non of this would be possible without the direction of Tim Luscombe and Alan Ayckbourn who know just what is required to transfix the audience, in a set designed by Michael Holt that does just enough to make you feel that you are there in this imaginary place.
The audience sat in a packed theatre and saw themselves in the characters and situations that can derive from everyday life. They will leave the theatre with thoughts and will find it hard not to remember what they have experience in this moment of time that could not have been better spent. Brilliant. Let's have more. © BA
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