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From the Croydon Advertiser - 21st of July, 2006
Review by Diana Eccleston
- 4 stars
The disastrous theatrical endeavours of the Farndale Avenue TWG ladies are a favourite with amateur drama companies. Their affectionate mickey-take of all things which can - and frequently do - go wrong in the process of putting on a play are enormous fun to recreate.
But the humour comes at a price. The style looks easy but is deceptively difficult and requires a great deal of discipline from actors and crew alike if the result is not to look like an incomprehensible shambles.
Picture the scene: the actors know their lines but not the order in which they come; entrances and exits get muddled, props go missing and bits of set collapse while lighting and sound cues seem to have a life of their own.
This comedy, with the full title of The Farndale Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society Production of The Haunted Through Lounge and Recessed Dining Nook at Farndale Castle, was a joy from start to finish.
It reminded me of The Rocky Horror Show: a couple of young lovers being forced to leave behind their broken-down car to seek refuge in a haunted castle. Instead of Frank N Furter they find loony Lady Madge Graves and an assortment of other weirdoes.
Ali Morris introduced the proceedings as TWG chairman Mrs Reece then stepped flamboyantly into the role of mad Madge, aided and abetted by Louise Canfield as the stooped and hunchbacked maid Crematia with some delicious doom-laden utterances.
Christine Woodhead was superb as Austrian Lottie playing the leading man Marty, with Gabriella Brooks as his statuesque and squeaky girlfriend June.
Gee Rook's well-rehearsed production left us wanting more.