Rumour has it that the new production by the Bangkok Community Theatre is going to be another winner
PREVIEW BY DANIEL HUTCHINSON, PHOTOS BY DAVID QUINE
Members of the cast, (front row from left) Pippa Harker, Ray Stafford and Elise Meleisea, (back row) Jack Ruenprapan and Severin Herbert. |
Have you heard the rumours? Well, they're true! The Bangkok Community Theatre (BCT) is back this month with another great evening of dinner theatre. Opening on Thursday, May 22, BCT will stage Neil Simon's hilarious comedy Rumours for six nights at the British Club.
Rumours director Angela Daniel and producer Bonnie Zellerbach are the team that brought you the sell-out productions of Trial by Jury last November and The Pirates of Penzance the year before, so audiences can be sure they're in for another wonderful evening's entertainment.
The two have a long history of working together. Between them they have directed and produced over 30 productions in Bangkok ranging from small, single set comedies and dinner theatre, to large scale all-singing, all-dancing musicals and children's participation plays.
BCT has a long history with Neil Simon comedies, too. Back in 1994, BCT staged Plaza Suite, in 1998 it was The Last of the Red Hot Lovers, and in 2003 a female version of the hugely popular The Odd Couple. It seems that every four to five years it's time for another injection of that wonderful Neil Simon humour - and Rumours has arrived right on schedule.
So what is Rumours all about? It's all nonsense really, but with a lot of laughter thrown in. The play takes place at the home of Charley and Vivian Brooks on the occasion of their 10th wedding anniversary. As the first guests Chris and Ken Bevans (Elise Meleisea and Severin Herbert) arrive at the house, they hear a gunshot. Upstairs, they find Charley, Deputy Minister of Finance, bleeding from a head wound, Vivian and the domestic staff missing, and a kitchen full of half-thawed food.
The other party guests begin to arrive, and to protect Charley's reputation from scandal the Bevans do everything they can to keep the truth from leaking out while they try to figure out exactly what happened. Madcap schemes and cover-ups escalate, eventually exploding hilariously with the arrival of police officers Jack Dunford and Anna Khendry.
Party helpers _ Justin Brooks and Nichola Frances. |
The other members of the cast of 10 are a combination of BCT regulars (Nichola Frances, Justin Brooks, Jack Ruenprapan and Bonnie Zellerbach) and experienced newcomers (Pippa Harker and Ray Stafford). Two by two they come to the party to help Charley and Vivian celebrate their anniversary - and they don't come empty handed. They bring with them their own emotional baggage which ratchets up the laughs the way you'd expect from a classic Neil Simon comedy.
When director Angela Daniel was asked how rehearsals had gone, she said, "I'm lucky to have an extremely talented cast, with a good deal of experience between them. The play needs performers who can have fun with the characters and handle the precise comic timing. It was difficult to get through the first few rehearsals because we were laughing so much. I hope the audience find it as funny as we do!"
Clearly, Neil Simon has cooked up a recipe for fun with this hilarious combination of characters and events. The audience can look forward to a great evening of entertainment, as well as a splendid three-course dinner courtesy of the British Club.
There will be six dinner-theatre evenings from Thursday, May 22 to Wednesday, May 28, except for Sunday, May 25 when there is no performance. If you love good comedy or if you just want to enjoy a really great night out, don't miss Rumours. Seats are limited so book early to avoid disappointment.
Rumours will be performed at the British Club, Silom Soi 18. Six dinner theatre performances (1,000 baht per person) on Thursday, May 22 to Saturday, May 24 and Monday, May 26 to Wednesday, May 28 at 7:30pm. Tables are for 10 people; if there are fewer than 10 in a party, theatre-goers will share tables. Tickets are available now through BCT, tel 087-598-1915. British Club members may also purchase tickets through the club. For more information, please visit BCT website at http://www.bct-th.org, email rumours@sala.net, or call BCT on 089-006-5259.
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