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From the Croydon Advertiser - 15th of April, 2005
Review by Diana Ecclestone
**** - 4 stars
A programme of three one-act plays is a pretty ambitious enterprise - especially when two of them are written by your own members as was the case with ATG's show.
Happily it paid off handsomely, if a little lengthily, with an evening (including fish and chip supper) running to a generous three hours.
There is so often a weak link in productions like this. Not so here, although the opener, written and directed by a member Christine Woodhead, was a mite sluggish and ponderous, possibly due to its time warp setting - slipping from past to present as an intriguing tale of romance unfolded.
Gabriella Brooks and Ali Morris illustrated the contrasts between Victorian and 21st century women and the choices they are able to make while Peter Currell and Robert Anderson made a good job of playing lovers from both centuries.
Dead in the Morning involved a major change of set and presented us with an atmoshereric pub, fire blazing in the grate on a winter's night. The regulars assemble then a stranger comes in... and things get pretty spooky because he has the ability to predict the date of someone's death if they wish to know it.
A few drinks later and curiosity gets the better of some. I enjoyed the strong characterisations and comedy, especially Keith Harper
as beligerent landlord Keith, Ashley Nicholls as the funny, thick and
thuggish Buck, and Peggy Robinson as gossipy Lil.
Richard Jeffreys made an impact as Ed and really seemed to make some of the
audience jump when his anger rose to a roar. And there was strong support from Louise Canfield as Keith's sweet,
downtrodden wife Carla; Marian Harper as churchy and disapproving Frances;
Melissa Latchem as chatterbox academic Dot and Rick Godbolt as her sneering
hubby Clarrie.
Daft but very enjopyable was Writing By Committee, which was actually written by a group of ATG members about a drama group of dwindled numbers (four) attempting to write and mount a musical about Oliver Cromwell and Charles I.
This included some hilarious lines and all the cliches, mistakes and in-jokes so beloved of am-dram companies and their audiences. The funniest part was the conclusion of Nell Gwynn as love interest for the king as no-one realises until dress rehearsal that the famous orange-seller was in fact Charles II's bit of crumpet.
It really made me laugh and was huge success. In fact, I'd go so far as to
say other societies might like to borrow it! Bravo to Keith Harper, Ellie
Driscoll, Nicola Howcroft, Jane Bennett and John Desbottes and their
director Simon Smith.
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