Burley Players 
Burley Village Hall, Burley 
Anne Waggott 
4 July 2025
In Alan Ayckbourn’s marital comedy, four couples, three bedrooms, two celebrations, one blazing row and an illicit kiss all intertwine to shine a glaring spotlight on the trials and tribulations of suburban marriage.
Ernest and Delia are attempting to celebrate their wedding anniversary, although concerns about their son Trevor’s relationship and set of circumstances take the shine off their festivities. Sue Trotter brings maternal composure as Delia, cajoling her husband into carrying out her wishes, lending an empathetic ear to Trevor’s distressed partner, Susannah, and, despite not really wanting to rock the boat, being the glue that holds her family together. Bruce Clitherow is rather endearing, reminiscent of Clive Swift’s Richard Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances, long-suffering and tolerant, yet somewhat distant from his son.
Malcolm and Kate throw a housewarming party, which is the focus of most of the evening’s chaos. Paul Berry brings a comical incompetent bumbling to his role as Malcom, a disaster with DIY, striving to be the man of the house and yet emotionally immature, oblivious to Kate’s growing boredom with their relationship. Jackie Reynolds is cool, calm and collected as Kate tries to both keep Malcolm’s handyman antics on track and also boost his libido to resolve her own building frustrations.
Steve McTaggart and Jules Sawdon literally throw themselves into their roles as curmudgeonly, temporarily bedridden Nick and feisty sociable Jan, with excellent physical comedy and quick-fire repartee, both showing their aptitude for slapstick farce.
Which brings us to Trevor and Susannah… at the eye of the chaotic storm! Jan and Trevor have previously had an affair… cue Nick’s cantankerous insecurities and Susannah’s agitated neuroses kicking in. On the other hand, Trevor is so self-absorbed, anxious and acerbic towards everyone that the consequences are inevitable! Steve Reynolds and Sharon Street both draw out the exaggerated characteristics with very amusing effect.
Annie McTaggart is no stranger to directing and, under her astute eye, has ensured a well-paced farce full of mayhem and misunderstandings, with each character brought to life by an experienced cast. The farcical elements may be more situational than the usual door slamming exploits of typical farces, but that doesn’t mean a lack of slick exits and entrances (despite stubborn doors and perhaps an over-reliance at times with sighs).
It should be noted that the play was written in the 1970s and the license dictates that it is still set in that period, so there are some outdated stereotypes at play, but never in an offensive way. There are also obvious limitations with a small village hall venue, but the three bedrooms are cleverly designed (including using one door for two locations) and clear demarcation with lights. There is a combination of actors freezing and use of lights on or off to signify the quick changes in location, although there does seem to be an inconsistency with which method is used, which I personally found a little distracting (admittedly a minor niggle!). Costume, props, sound effects, background music and set dressing are all appropriate for the era.
The intimate and friendly village hall venue is a good setting for this domestic farce; the whole evening is designed to bring the community together, from Burley Players’ “famous fish and chip suppers” to the cabaret style layout for the audience, with groups encouraged to chat together rather than sit in strict rows. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable evening’s entertainment!
