THEATRE REVIEWS

This is Ayckbourn having a go at his own profession through its amateur ranks, though what the present generation will make of this play is anybody's guess. The language is dated and the plot slow, with the point of the play only being arrived at just before the end of the first act. The plot is hung around how Ayckbourn perceives an amateur musical theatre group would be in rehearsal for a production of "The Beggar's Opera". Not much music is rehearsed, as the over the top players go about their parts as intrigues develop. The noisy gimmicky scene shifting were the hallmark of AyckbournÕs direction at this time and still remain, with at times, gloomy lighting added to this production.

Dafydd ap Llewellyn is the very over the top Welsh director of the PALOS musical theatre club, and is played with great gusto by Philip York, trying to hold together an ever decreasing cast of players for a production of John Gay's "The Beggar's Opera". We see the nervous Guy Jones arrive for his audition and be given a one line part, gradually, by necessity, Guy progresses through various parts to become the leading man. The part of Guy is played with insight into the life of an actor by Bill Champion. He is fancied by various women members of the cast with disillusioned marriages. They are backed up by an enthusiastic cast given cameo parts to give the play momentum and bring this musical play to its ultimate conclusion by the staging of the production. No great message hidden in the plot, just the inevitable imagined squabbles and realities of life in the theatre.

The audience chuckled their way through this evening of theatre with foreign members having the very English jokes explained to them. In all the play gave entertainment, but showed its age. © BA

“A Chorus of Disapproval” is in repertory at the Round, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough from the 14th July until the 7th August, 2004.