SEE HOW THEY RUN by Philip King
Venue: Richmond 1982
Directed by John Dove
Ida, a Maid | Yvonne Edgell |
Miss Skillon | Mona Bruce |
The Reverend Lionel Toop | Christopher Good |
Penelope Toop his wife | Joanna Van Gyseghem |
The Bishop of Lax | John Savident |
Lance Corporal Clive Winton | Terence Wilton |
The Intruder | Trevor Martin |
The Reverend Arthur Humphrey | Martin Connor |
Sergeant Towers | Roy Heather |
The London Comedy Company scored an immediate success with their first production See How They Run, scheduled for a seven week tour after leaving the Thorndyke theatre en route for the West End. The aim of the newly-formed company is to specialise in high comedy and farce and Philip King’s play made a splendid launching pad for the new venture. Farce exaggerates the unlikely to make it seem possible but no matter how well the play is written, it will not be believed unless the piece is well acted. However, the cast was first-class and performed with breath-taking skill and split-second timing. The contrasting characterisations dovetail into one another like a perfect piece of carpentry.
Mona Bruce is remarkable as Miss Skillon, the spinster in a vicar’s life who plagues the vicarage with her presence. Her mannerisms and facial expressions and, especially her drunken movements, are hilarious throughout. Most of the men are vicars in disguise and excellent contrasting comedy is presented by Terence Wilton as the soldier vicar and Trevor Martin as the German ‘vicar’. In the end you lose track of who is genuine but the real vicars Christopher Good (Toop) and Martin Connor (Humphrey) are splendid. The latter in particular has a wonderful line in acrobatics and contortions. Yvonne Edgell times the maid (Ida) to perfection and Joanna van Gyseghem carries off the link part of Penelope Toop admirably. John Savident is a splendid Bishop and Roy Heather the epitome of a sergeant major.
But the final analysis rests with the immaculate timing. No doubt in farce there are variations from one performance to another but on the first night it all worked precisely and the ovation from the full house confirmed it. John Dove directed, and long may the London Comedy Company flourish.