Farce

[angelophile]

Went across to my folks last night to see a farce, "No Room for Love” by Anthony Marriott and Bob Grant that was being presented by a few friends of mine from my theatre group. I've managed to avoid being in any farces so far, and it's unlikely just because of the sheer amount of rehersal they require - it was standard farce with people constantly entering and exiting through multiple exits, loss of trousers to comical effect, misunderstandings and innuendo.

As usual with farce, it's hard to sum up the plot - Dr Garfeld books into a run-down hotel, with his attractive receptionist, Michele for a illicit rendezvous. An orchestra staying in the hotel further complicates things, especially when the doctor's wife, a harpist, is summoned when another musician falls ill. Also staying in the hotel are naive honeymoon couple Mr and Mrs Smith ("Badger" and "Squirrel") and a bad tempered horn player with an alcoholic wife. Add to that a perpetually confused hotel manager, a surly porter and a harp that spends most of the show being dragged from room to room by the unfortunate porter, the hotel's poor room registration system results in a wild confusion of mistaken identities, furious confrontations and misunderstandings.

The end result was very funny, a little under-rehearsed judging by a ropy start with a number of prompts and pregnant pauses before really getting rolling, but was soon whipping along. I'm afraid collapsing beds, misunderstandings with everyone ending up in bed with everyone else, and lines like "Squirrel! I've got the horn!" are almost guaranteed to make me laugh, so I have to say I enjoyed the evening and the cast were slick after the unstable start. Great fun.