Mark Kilmurry deserves to be awarded a bouquet for his creative casting of four fine players in Alan Ayckbourn's farce Relatively Speaking.
Jonny Hawkins (Greg), Tracy Mann (Sheila), Emma Palmer (Ginny) and David Whitney (Philip), deliver the absurdity of the twists and turns of the plot with fresh energy and vigour.
Relatively Speaking is a play in two acts, set in London in June 1968 and the action takes place over a period of eight hours on a certain Sunday, out in the country.
Ginny has only recently met Greg and she rather fancies him however her life is already entangled with an older (married) man who lives in the country. Ayckbourn has mastered the style of 'English reserve ' in the language of the play where the characters are adept at appearing to fumble with the truth.
The play opens and we meet Ginny and Greg in her unstylish and tiny bedroom in London, early on Sunday morning. She regrets that she must dash off to the country - Lower Pendon in Buckinghamshire - to enjoy Sunday lunch with her parents. Greg is disappointed and indicates his desire to meet Ginny's parents and at this point the twists and turns begin. Ginny becomes uncomfortable and insists that Greg must not join her. She acts out all of her determination to keep them apart arguing British formality. Her parents would be totally uncomfortable entertaining uninvited strangers.
Her pleas seem unconvincing when - while Ginny is taking a shower - Greg finds a pair of mens slippers under her bed.
The plays theme is timeless and the writing is equally timeless. The twists and turns of the plot continue right until the very last lines of the play - when Philip's wife Ginny - who is the character who has been most deceived by her husbands antics, steps centre stage, wins the day, and has the last laugh.
This is a highly entertaining and enjoyable evening in the theatre. The ensemble of cast and crew has created great pleasure for their audience, from the writing of a master playwright.
Relatively Speaking is playing at Ensemble Theatre, Kirribilli until Saturday January 14th. Production photos by Clare Hawley.
