Presented by: St Jude’s Players
Reviewed: 2 May, 2024
Alan Ayckbourn’s Living Together is the second play in his The Norman Conquests Trilogy and set in the living room of an ex-vicarage: the first play, Round and Round the Garden is set in the garden of the house; whilst the third, Table Manners takes place in the dining room. They all concern the same characters and can be performed as the Trilogy in any order or, as in this case, stand alone. They each reference one another so that in Living Together an incident concerning a cat stuck up a tree occurs in Round and Round the Garden, whilst the talked about unseen fracas in the dining room is the main event of Table Manners. It’s all very clever and oh so, Alan Ayckbourn.
Living Together is extremely Ayckbournish in its treatment of human foibles, relationships and dysfunctional families (don’t we all have them!). Les Zetlein is no stranger to directing this style of play and carries it off fairly well. Act One, Scene One is somewhat slow in pace, due somewhat to pregnant pauses going into their tenth month, but for the rest of the play the pace is just right. This is due largely to the wonderful cast, not one of whom is a dud.
Rose Harvey is Sarah, the wife with the ‘if I want something done right, I’ll do it myself’ attitude. She has this mannerism and tone down pat, so much so that the audience react appropriately worried every time she appears as does her husband Reg played by Adrian Heness. Heness was born to play the hen-pecked Reg, who hides behind his fondness for inventing the world’s most complicated and boring board games. His tallness allows him to have the ability to look totally uncomfortable in situations. And his flexible head and rubbery facial expressions are comedy gold from heaven.
In what this reviewer thinks is the finest performance I have seen him give (and he’s given many), Simon Lancione as the Trilogy’s titular role of Norman, is an absolute joy to watch. You have to admire an actor who makes an audience laugh as soon as he makes his first entrance with the straightest, most puppy-dogged face ever. Norman goes through many, many emotions throughout the show; depression, drunkenness, passion, unlikability, likability, sadness and happiness. Lancione carries them all off with elan and great comic timing – he can even have sex on a rug and keep his tie straight and tidy!
Spinster Annie who is all set (or is she?) for a romantic weekend away with married Norman is portrayed beautifully by Carla Hardie. Annie is perhaps the more likable of the characters in the play and Hardie certainly leaves us in no doubt of that. She is gentle but with a lioness’ pounce ready and waiting to attack. Hardie has the gift to make sweetness drip with venom (at Sarah). Although not seen till Act Two, Rebecca Butler as Norman’s wife Ruth, certainly makes her presence felt once she appears. She has the most wonderful Cheltenham Ladies College accent which is crystal clear and commands one’s attention with very little effort.
Rounding out this great cast is Larry Waller, giving an excellent performance as shy, retiring, non-aggressive sweet vet Tom, who is obviously more at home with animals than humans. Waller hits all the right comic points making the character very funny but very real at the same time.
The production is played out on yet another wonderfully designed Don Oakley set and built and painted by his great Saturday Morning Gang.
St Jude’s Players celebrate their 75th year this year of giving high quality theatre to the public and what better way to start the celebrations than with Living Together.
Reviewed by Brian Godfrey
Photo credit: Michael Selge
Venue: St Jude’s Hall, 444 Brighton Road Brighton
Season: Until 11 May 2024
Duration: approx. 2 hrs (with a 20 minute interval)
Tickets: $15 – $25
Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/CPHVH
Alternatively, call 0436 262 628 or email [email protected]
Disclaimer: Simon Lancione is part of the Glam Adelaide arts review team.
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