The cast of Love On The Beach are well matched in talent. Photo / Supplied
The cast of Love On The Beach are well matched in talent. Photo / Supplied
Review: TET Cue Theatre's Love On The Beach by Raymond Hopkins, directed by Stephen Leeks.
Summer might be coming to an end but you can still enjoy a trip to the beach thanks to TET Cue Theatre's latest production, playing now at Inglewood's Cue theatre.
From the moment you enterthe theatre, you are transported directly to a seaside town, thanks to clever set design that carries all the way through to the foyer. The stage set is absolutely fantastic, it is clear a lot of work has gone into creating the small beachside cottage that lead character Tom Millard has moved into after the sudden and unexpected death of his wife.
Director Stephen Leeks plays the role of Tom, and does a good job of portraying the widower looking to find new meaning in his life after his wife's death. A few lines are forgotten here and there, but those pauses and fumbles don't detract from the story and actually almost give extra depth to Tom - a loving father and grandfather who doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings as he struggles to find his way.
Tom's best friend Keith, played superbly by Bryan Vickery, is the perfect foil for Tom. Where Tom believes in long-lasting love, doing the right thing and doesn't want to upset anyone, Keith seems to be more of a hedonist. Over the course of the play we begin to see a softer side to Keith, and Bryan does an excellent job in making that change believable, while keeping Keith likeable throughout.
Keith's change of heart is partly thanks to Kim Ross, the escort with a heart of gold, played by April Krijger. April takes on the role with plenty of confidence, especially when she makes her first entrance, running across the stage in a skimpy costume bearing a whip. Her dramatic entrance is matched by her dramatic skills throughout the play, and I found myself wishing her character was on stage more than she was because she was so enjoyable to watch.
Tom's daughters, Lucy (Kerryn Smith) and Jade (Vicki-Ann Ritchie), want Tom to move back nearer them. The two actors gel well together, and while some of their lines are a little unconvincing, that is more the fault of the playwright than their delivery. As the sisters discuss the reasons for wanting Tom to move back home (free babysitting, gardening and other fatherly duties) they let on their plan to do so involves encouraging a romance between their dad and their mum's best friend, the larger-than-life Brenda.
Brenda is well played by Victoria Mills, who ensures the snobby, wealthy divorcee gets plenty of laughs from the audience without making her character overly one-dimensional. Her best moments come later in the play, when Brenda's real feelings come out, and watching her pace up and down the stage was one of the best moments of the second act.
Another standout performance came from Katherine Wolfe, playing Sara, the local vicar. Katherine has a host of stage credits to her name and has made memorable appearances on Cue Theatre's stage before. Her roles as an Italian landlady in Eugenia and as a young trophy wife in Death Knell were both particularly memorable performances by her, and now we can add her portrayal of a wholesome, devout vicar to the list.
Sharren Read (left) and Victoria Mills are talented actors who expertly bring their characters to life in this play. Photo / Supplied
This fantastic cast is topped, or perhaps even slightly eclipsed at times, by the absolutely brilliant Sharren Read who steals the show as she strides (or more accurately, limps) onto stage in the role of the cleaning lady Alice.
Alice has as many ailments as she has words she mispronounces and with Sharren in the role, Alice becomes the star of the show for much of both acts. Her expert comic timing and facial expressions, combined with excellent wardrobe and makeup, help create a character who really deserves her own show.
Overall, Cue theatre's latest production is a feel-good, farcical comedy that combines great local talent with the usual excellent set, lighting, sound and other backstage work that Cue Theatre can be counted on to deliver. The play even comes with an extra feel-good factor - playwright Raymond Hopkins donates all his royalties to multiple sclerosis research in honour of his daughter, who was diagnosed with the disease when she was 19. So far, he has donated nearly £50,000 to MS research.
