Last night THE OTHER THEATRE COMPANY put on the play ‘Who’s Your Father’, written by Harry Kennedy who was also a member of the cast and co-director of the show.
The sub-plot is well-conceived and involves a rather impoverished retired actress, SYLVIE DARLING, (played by Sophia Kennedy), letting out rooms to other retired actors of stage and screen, FROBISHER WILLIAMS, (played by Harry Kennedy), ELLIOT HART (played by Roger Barlow) and PHOEBE INGRAMS (played by Anne-Marie Lonsdale) in order to make ends meet.
They consider themselves to be rather like ‘a family’, but, like all families, there are internal wranglings! Constant jibes between Frobisher and Elliot as to which kind of actor - stage or screen - possesses greater talent - flared up on a regular basis and we heard the ‘put-down’ remark from Sylvie ‘Oh, stop sniping’ perhaps a little too often. Sylvie would probably have had an arsenal of remarks up her sleeve to put a stop to their bickering.
The ‘comic foil’ in this play is Phoebe. A completely ‘dotty’, larger-than-life, immensely lovable character who really does lose the plot in any conversation. Anne-Marie Lonsdale gave a heart-warming and very believable portrayal of Phoebe, turning her into a mostly happy lady - not often in the here and now - rather than a source of irritation.
But the main plot lies with the death of an actress who bore a son, some forty years previously, and who has left a sum of money to the father of her son, last known to be living at the address of Sylvie’s lodgings. The son, now a famous actor himself, by the name of MICHAEL ELTHWAITE (played by Phil Perry) intends to visit, to discover who is his father!! Michael Elthwaite is none other than the current screen-actor James Bond (007), so expectant excitement ensues at his imminent arrival.
Harry Kennedy’s clever plot-line keeps us guessing, and there are many twists and turns, and even more hilarity when both Frobisher and Elliot decide to make Sylvie their love interest.
There are also two ‘cameo’ roles (both played by Harriet Walton). LILY BUTT - a reporter- who comes to interview the supposed ‘newly-found’ father, but who ends up saddled with Phoebe in a wonderfully funny moment, and BRONWEN OWEN, Michael Elthwaite’s agent.
The whole cast kept this play on its toes and proceeded, skilfully, to bring it to an excellent resolution. The enjoyment from the audience was plain to see and hear, and news will, no doubt, spread throughout Little Leigh of its success and entertainment.
Review by Rebecca Smithson
For more information about this production, please see our Past Productions page for Who's Your Father.